


Regnum.

by adrischrv



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), Youngblood - 5 Seconds Of Summer (Album)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Future, Modern Royalty, Royalty, king!ashton, king!luke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:33:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26614525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrischrv/pseuds/adrischrv
Summary: In a dystopian future, a tragedy leads Prince Luke to become King of Gardenstone. From her neighboring kingdom Maredale, our protagonist Amberly must choose between King Luke and King Ashton of Lauxwell to close the alliance that the three kingdoms are destined to make. In the process and after, Amberly will encounter mysteries, a love triangle, and betrayals that will define her future. (Basically, enemies to lovers)
Relationships: Ashton Irwin/Original Character(s), Ashton Irwin/Original Female Character(s), Luke Hemmings/Original Character(s), Luke Hemmings/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Introduction.

One... Two... Three tones indicating the start of the call.  
He took the phone firmly, ready to make an offer that no one - not even her - could deny.

“Good night, Robert.”

“Sorry for being late, Liz. The Queen and I had to discuss the matter once more. You will understand that Henry's sudden death took us by surprise.”  
He responded by looking at his wife on the seat in front of his desk, nodding.

"Absolutely, Henry's death not only left our neighbor Lauxwell without a King, but it also left us without an important ally and friend." She was silent for a moment. “Tell me, what do you have in mind?”

King Robert looked at Queen Susan. She reached out her hand and he took it, gathering the courage to spit out the deal.

“Our kingdom, Gardenstone, is going through a magnificent streak with young innovators and a thirst for work flourishing from all sides. Your potential is incredible, Liz ...”

“Robert, I'm familiar with your people. Now that Lauxwell is weak the interest falls on us, how convenient ...”

Elizabeth interrupts, causing Robert to summarize her speech before ending it and dismissing the hostility in her comment.

"... We are ready to unite our kingdoms, Elizabeth. Our people want to grow - they need to grow. And I think the culture that the Maredale Kingdom offers is what we need. Your kingdom needs our innovators and our innovators of your discipline, it has always been this way.”

After silence on the line, Elizabeth's direct and powerful voice returns.

"Sounds great to me then. And it also seems that you and Susan have thought of everything so ... Who will have the happiness to carry out this union? You know that I am a single Queen, I think that a fight for the crown sounds unnecessary before this decision.”

“That is precisely what we have discussed today. We believe that as we will unite two powerful kingdoms, it is not appropriate for you or us to be in command, but ...”

Robert sighs in fear at the idea that is floating in the air, as does Elizabeth who seems to know the end of the sentence.

“Our children? Robert, we are not-”

“We are not in the past, we know. We know the struggle that the International Revolution involved and the ideas that we have perfected. It's not fair that we unite our children with your only daughter, and yet at the same time it is.”

A peal of laughter without feeling comes out of Elizabeth's mouth.

“Sure, it makes sense. Here in Maredale the people have always been and will be devoted to their queen.” Her voice sounds calmer. “And at Gardenstone they love your son. To Jake, of course, excuse me for not including Prince Luke but I know of his reputation and lack of dedication to the crown.”

Robert and Susan affirm to themselves. He continues.

“Then it's ready, come with your family to Gardenstone as soon as possible.”

“It is for the record that I, Queen Elizabeth of Maredale, authorize-”

This time it is Robert who interrupts her.

“Not yet, let's wait until the official ceremony.”

“Suitable. I look forward to the day.”

"So do we ..." Susan looks at him, reminding him of an important part. “Elizabeth, not a word of this to Lauxwell.”


	2. Chapter 1

"... The paradisiacal view of Gardenstone is, without a doubt, one of its greatest attractions. With special mention to the Flaney Forest, the national pride full of ruins of the ancient world ..."

The presentation brochure did not lie at all, if in mere images the forest looked beautiful and imposing I can imagine how majestic it would be to see it live. But for now, I could only do that, imagine the places that Gardenstone offered as the time passed since my arrival locked in a room.

One day passed since my picturesque journey from my kingdom to Gardenstone ... my kingdom-to-be. I was traveling like a bunch of lobsters, the most important thing Maredale exchanged with Gardenstone, to realize the longed-for union between both kingdoms and in the process, marry someone I had not seen in my entire life.

I'm trained to be a strong leader but not arrogant, humble but not naive, and seductive but not easy, but something had been missing from the list and that was how to be a good wife. I knew how to run an entire country, but the heart of a man? Lost cause. And it was normal, with only 19 years it is not my fault to know absolutely nothing about the subject, more than the common and what I read in my romance books, of course. I kept telling myself over and over how important it had been to pay attention to my parents' relationship when I was a child, maybe I would know how to start a conversation with my husband, was that important? Should I speak to him?

"Your Highness, I'm sorry to interrupt. Queen Susan has sent this maid to you."

The guard's words helped me get out of the spiral.

I nodded as I watched a freckled red-haired girl approach with a box in her hands that she balanced as she bowed.

"Good morning, Your Highness. My name is Lidia and I have come to help you."

"A pleasure to meet you, Lidia. You can call me Amberly," I smiled. "Excuse me, but help me with what, exactly?" 

Lidia gave a little laugh, taking brushes and makeup from the box and placing them on the dresser; the only piece of furniture in the room along with the bed. I took a seat watching Lidia inspect my curly hair in the mirror.

"King Robert has organized a homecoming dance in your honor, Queen Susan seems to have convinced him that leaving you locked up until the coronation is done is not the way to treat a guest ... much less if it will be our future Queen." 

"Future queen."

The words echoed in my mind, realizing the seriousness of them.

Years ago, "The International Revolution" had been present, everything got out of control. There were no intermediaries, intentions to fix it, faith, or hope. In a world where more than 80% of the earth was uninhabitable, a scattered society grew up and far from all the horror; Lauxwell, Gardenstone, and Maredale; three kingdoms that from the beginning asked for their expansion. Lauxwell and Maredale boast coastlines and rivers, while Gardenstone lives in the middle of both. There was a deal to be made and everyone knew about it, two united kingdoms would cause the fall of the one who was left behind, it was fate. My mother, Queen Elizabeth, had made a deal with the Kings of Gardenstone where both kingdoms would unite, and eventually, Lauxwell must do so as well, leaving one of the kings' children and me in command.

I watched Lidia place four different dresses on the bed, needing to ask her a question.

"Lidia, what do you think of the princes? Jake and ...?"

"... Luke, Your Highness."

"Yes, Luke ... I've heard about both of them but I need to know more. Tell me your opinion, without fear." 

Nervous, the maid spread one of the dresses in my direction. Immediately, I went to change behind a curtain while she spoke.

"Well, if you want to know ... Prince Jake, your future husband, is charismatic and reserved. Nothing like the brother." She shook her head. "Prince Luke is an open book, predictable and, excuse the audacity, extremely spoiled. I've lost count of all the girls who claim to have been with him, your high- Amberly." 

I chuckled when I heard how Lidia spoke about my future brother-in-law. She wasn't wrong; Prince Luke was handsome, his blond hair looked like pure gold, and his blue eyes weren't far from a replica of the ocean, but his arrogant, carefree, and selfish personality made him look like the worst candidate for any throne, or so they said. It was curious to analyze the capabilities and goals that I possess compared to those of Luke, who despite being two years older than me, seemed to have practically no training as well as his interest in the crown.

"I appreciate your honesty, Lidia," I said sincerely. "I haven't had the honor of meeting them yet, but something tells me that Prince Jake is a good person."

"He is, and you will be astonished when you see him. You're ready, by the way." 

The dress she had given me was light pink; made of pure silk, short sleeves raised slightly at my shoulders that guide the viewer to the factory V-cut, and a remarkable length to the floor, without being floaty. This color highlighted my light brown hair -like my eyes- which reached a little before my ribs dropped in majestic waves - my favorites. I looked radiant, although I would always prefer to wear a pair of pants and a jacket on casual days.

Two knocks on the door made Lidia cross the room quickly to attend to it. 

"Excuse the interruption, Your Majesty." A rather formally dressed boy appeared. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Hood, the son of the Diplomatic Advisor of the Kings, but to be honest, I think I am a bit of everything. The dance guests are here. The kings asked me to escort you to the ballroom." 

"Right away. Thank you very much for your help, Lidia." 

The maid nodded, a little taken aback by my thanks. Hood extended an arm and I reciprocated.

"So Hood… that doesn't seem like your name, is that your last name?"

"You're perceptive, Your Highness, I like it. It is my last name, my name is Calum but my father does not approve of saying my name. In the palace, I am best identified by my surname." 

I allowed myself to look away from the virtual paintings that adorned the halls, slowly reproducing old and new photographs of the royal family. Prince Luke looked happy in the older ones and there was no sign of him in the newer ones.

"... So I recommend you not drink the yellow liquid, it leaves a pretty bad mouth odor." For a second I had forgotten that I was walking with Calum. "Any questions, princess?" 

I opened my mouth to reply, being interrupted by some strong footsteps coming down the stairs at the end of the hall.

"There you are, Calum! I've been looking everywhere for you!" 

A youthful voice was present, it was Prince Luke.

I allowed my eyes to roam his face. If I weren't going to marry his brother, I would dare to think of his features as those of a Greek god I read so much about. So thin they were shocking. His blond curls gave a familiar air after having seen the queen's hair, he had stopped at a point where the sun was shining on him, making the delicacy of the fabric of his white shirt revealing a little of his body. Suddenly, I was not surprised because he had many young women at his feet.

The blonde stopped when he noticed my presence. His demeanor changed radically and he became serious, his look bordering on arrogance.

“Good night... princess.”

His blue eyes peered up and slid boldly over my silhouette. My body tensed and the prince smiled when he noticed.

"If you allow us ... Even if not, I honestly don't care ..." He laughed. If he hadn't said that, I would have found him adorable. “I'll take Calum with me for a moment.”

The prince tugged at Calum. I looked at the young man with concern, I still needed to know where to go.

"Follow the hall to the end, the door is open. See you later, Your Highness.” Calum indicated as if reading my mind.

"Thanks, Hood."

I smiled walking past them with my posture restored. I regulated my breathing as I made my way to the living room when I realized that I had stopped breathing.

¥

The queen had wanted to mix the past of our world with the modernity of the present, starting with a classic giant chandelier right in the center of the room. Below, a circular platform with the thrones for the hosts of the evening. The people of the kingdom enjoyed the food displayed on a long table to one side of the room and the classical music that played in the background invited them to dance.

The sigh of someone behind me caught my attention.

“Oh! Nice to see you, Prince Jake.”

Prince Jake perfectly wore a suit that undoubtedly highlighted his arms, which looked strong and his spectacular form. Years of difference and experience showed in his handsome face adorned with a blond beard.

"Let's not be formal with each other. We're going to be husbands, after all, ”he suggested, extending his hand at the invitation of a dance.

I had a hard time knowing if his tone was friendly or serious, however, I took his hand and we began to dance.

“You're right”.

“What would you like me to call you? Amberly, your highness, fiancée...?” Jake asked, this time clearly friendly.

I smiled.

"You can call me Amberly, Ams ... My father used to call me Amber," I said, too lost to notice that I had said it in the past tense.

"I heard about your father, I think he was one of the best kings the new world could witness. And he was very considerate in changing the laws to allow your mother to reign without him ... Ams.”

My father had left my mother to take a year off, a year that lasted since I was seven. He left, leaving my mother in charge of the kingdom as the first queen to do it on her own.

I looked at my mother across the room. She was the older, talented, and brave version of me. She was talking with the King and Queen of Gardenstone using an air of born charisma and smiling. Our eyes met, suddenly I wanted to ask for the thousandth time the true importance of this union. But I couldn't, it would be absurd, so I just smiled.

King Robert was a man with a fair complexion, brown hair, and a not very expressive face that was affected by stress and age lines, wearing a suit with insignia representing different achievements. Next to him, the flawless Queen Susan settled in a red dress noticeably longer than mine and long sleeves that her collected blonde hair revealed. Her air of excellence and at the same time warmth was incomparable, I felt happy with the simple idea of being able to exchange ideas, doubts, and advice with the queen.

The king gave his wife a kiss on the palm of his hand and looked at Jake just as the current piece was coming to an end, asking him to join him in talking with my mother.

"See you after my speech," Jake apologized.

Queen Susan approached silently offering her arm, I reciprocated and we began to walk around the people in the room.

"You look beautiful, my dear," the queen said, breaking the silence. “Sorry we didn't have time to talk earlier, but tell me how are you handling all this?”

I had even thought-rehearsed the correct answer.

"It is new and certainly a little scary, but I am not closed to the advantages and possibilities that there are in achieving this union, your majesty."

"It's a real honor to have you here, I can't wait to show you everything so that you will soon be queen, I mean it. But we can start with my son, what do you think of him?”

"I don't know him well enough, he seems to be a man who knows what he wants and has good manners."

The truth is, I just thought he was very attractive and I only knew what Lidia had told me before. What I couldn't help was being curious about Prince Luke.

"He can be when he knows what he wants but he doesn't know what that is yet. Hope you help him figure it out if it's not too much to ask.”

I nodded. In an instant, the king was beckoning me from a table set discreetly in the corner of the room, Luke was beside him. He was holding the hand of a fair-skinned blonde girl who looked almost angelic in the white dress she was wearing. She might seem like a princess. Seem.

The queen followed my gaze and lowered her arm.

"Oh, don't worry dear, go to the King. We´ll have plenty of time to talk.”

I bowed and walked over to the King and Prince.

“Princess, excuse me for abusing your kindness, I know that you have received war planning lessons since you were little and I thought I would show you this simulator. My useless son does not know what would be the necessary movement to attack this blue base.”

The king says indicating the piece in the center of the map. I began to analyze it, the king had three large troops occupied and two small ones unoccupied and the base did not seem large. Luke moved the two little ones to the base, getting a glare from his father. I looked at them curiously for a moment, was this a test for me or for Luke?

Regardless of the answer, I took a large one taking it to the side with a small one, and did the same with the ones that were left at the base, leaving them balanced. The king smiled and applauded.

“Wonderful! Very simple, isn't it?” The King exclaimed, clearly annoying Luke.

"As simple as there is, actually."

An unknown voice caught the attention of everyone at the table. The owner was unknown to me but seeing that raven-haired man move in my direction, I knew it was his intention to change it.


	3. Chapter 2

I had never seen the Irwin brothers in person. I could imagine them and quickly relate them to the cruelty of their father, Henry II. It was said that Maredale and Lauxwell were twin kingdoms because of their geographical location, but they were too different in their development. Lauxwell was a kingdom forged from cruelty, exploitation of its inhabitants, and the desire for destruction to achieve its construction. It was a rather chaotic kingdom and its leaders were not known to be friendly; but they were rich, a lot; more than Gardenstone and Maredale alone. 

The coal-black hair of both stood out. Lauren's hair was long and matched her sensual silhouette, and on her left, Ashton was as strong and dominant as his features; but the real beauty in that man was his hazel eyes; and not to mention his green suit, both brothers were a magnificent sight. 

“Pardon the interruption, your highnesses, your majesty-” Ashton spoke again, this time stepping forward. “My sister and I believe that a dance is necessary to introduce us to the new face.”

Ashton approached me in a bow that I reciprocated, took my hand and kissed it, pausing at my knuckles carefully to add: "What a crime it would be to lose sight of your beauty."

I couldn't help but blush, but with my future father-in-law and brother-in-law's eyes on me, I had to try. 

I withdrew my hand with a little shame and it took me two seconds to remember my name. 

“No problem, your…”

“...Majesty. Surely you know of my father's recent death. My sister Lauren and I rule Lauxwell now," Ashton completed, looking at Luke and the King sideways. “We still don't know who it was, but I can assure you that the guilty party will pay for it.“

As Ashton stood next to her sister again, King Robert indicated something to Luke with a serious face. The prince took his companion aside and spoke aloud. 

“Are you insinuating something, your majesty? I recommend you to be clever and do it with a weapon at hand... “ With a sign, the guards handed him two swords. “It is cowardly to throw the stone and hide the hand.”

Luke began to roll up his sleeves, watching Ashton with an arrogant smile. Lauren's gaze met mine, indicating that she was afraid. Not for Ashton, for Luke. 

Ashton laughed, grabbing a sword and admiring its edge.

Contrary to what I thought, Queen Susan and my mother took their seats without commenting on the duel that was about to begin. King Robert made eye contact with Prince Jake in the distance, but he did nothing to stop his son. 

The people around us fixed their attention on that pair by opening up space, the violinists stopped and the bets disguised as whispers increased as did the tension.

“If I win," Luke spoke, "you will both leave the Gardenstone and never set foot here again for the rest of your lives.”

I waited for King Robert to interrupt him and contradict him, the prince couldn't do that. His Majesty did not flinch at all. 

“If I win," Ashton followed him into position, "we have unlimited entry and stay at Gardenstone. Also, I would like to have the pleasure of dancing with Princess Amberly, if she agrees.”

My mother smiled approvingly, enjoying the show in which my company was a bet. 

“All right," I replied to both of them. “I will add a condition since I have been put in this medieval act. At the first drop of blood, both of you must stop.”

They nodded, anxious to be able to throw themselves at each other. Luke imitated the position that Ashton had taken and once King Robert indicated it, the clash of swords began. 

It was sad to admit, but I didn't know much about dueling. It had been centuries since it was practiced as a sport so I couldn't tell who was winning, but even someone like me with little knowledge in the art of dueling could notice the grace with which Ashton held on after each thrust and although Prince Luke didn't match him, he put his strategy into practice to try and avoid it. 

Luke's sword grazed Ashton's side, tearing his green pants, without a drop of blood outside. Lauren moved over to my side, in comparison to me she didn't look at them in horror, it was fun for her to watch the duel. 

“Your Highness, this is not the right time, but we wanted to give you this humble detail in the name of Lauxwell," she said, offering a necklace with an emerald hanging from it. 

I took it and admired both the luster and the price. In Maredale it would cost a fortune to wear something like this. 

“Thank you very much, Your Majesty," I smiled. “It is beautiful.”

Lauren smiled back. A roar followed by applause turned our attention to that pair.

Ashton had left his sword on the floor. He was sweating a bit and his hair was out of place. Luke was lying next to the sword with just a drop of blood running down his throat. The black-haired man offered him a hand but he refused, choosing to stand up with effort.

“You've gotten better, Luke," Ashton said, wiping herself with a cloth to make her look just as flawless as before. “Just... not good enough.”

The crowd resumed the event as soon as the violins started the next song, and just as he'd said, King Ashton offered his arm, gently leading me to the floor. 

“Your Highness, how do you feel at Gardenstone?” He asked, swaying me to the music as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

“Comfortable," I replied, raising my hands with his following the dance. “I am afraid I haven't seen anything else than my room since I arrived.”

“Why not?” He asked.

We followed the couples who jumped and clapped before returning to the conversation.

“I can't, my wedding is... let's say it's coming up.”

“Can I call you Amberly?” He asked behind me following the dance, I nodded. “The truth is, Amberly, you should be exploring your future kingdom. You should be able to choose what your future kingdom will be. I should be in mine, waiting for you to arrive to consider my alliance and fulfill my destiny without the need to take up arms; but I don't. Do you have any idea why this is not so?”

I denied with my head, I had some ideas in my mind but his narration was entertaining and his eyes shone perfectly with the light of the chandelier bursting in his face. 

“Because we have new opportunities, we create them," he replied. “I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, there is always a reason.”

He was right, maybe I shouldn't have let my mother choose my alliance, maybe the alliance with Gardenstone didn't have to happen. Between three realms the possibilities were almost endless. 

“The horrible things that people say happen in my kingdom, every single one of them... are true, I'm afraid," Ashton continued. “My father, my grandfather... my blood has taken care of it, but I'm different, I have to be.”

It was a very heavy promise to remove slavery and exploitation from a territory as vast as Lauxwell. Understanding how unrealistic it sounded to me, Ashton approached my ear and added:

“Fate has no power in the now, we do.”

Applause filled the room again as the song ended, and amidst the reverence, Luke was present again. 

“I'll have to steal the princess for the next piece," he announced, taking my hands in his to push Ashton away. 

“That's not…”

“I wasn't on the deal, it's my turn to dance with her," Luke interrupted, silencing any protest. 

Unable to afford to be rude, I placed my hands around his neck and he grabbed me by the waist. A slow piece began to play. 

“You're very tense, your highness," I mentioned in an attempt to begin a conversation with him.

“Good point, I certainly am. Although it's not of your interest," Luke noted the rudeness of her tone and added, "Princess.”

He made me blink a couple of times, it didn't make sense to ask for a dance with me and then behave so... rude. 

“I'm sorry, did I do something wrong? Did I offend you in any way?” I asked in a different, more serious tone. “Because, as far as I remember, you didn't have time to be offended if you didn't deign to come to my welcome yesterday, prince.”

Luke focused on me, his jaw tightened for a few seconds and his hands clenched my waist slightly. Right at his royal pride. 

“Do you think you're smart, Amberly? Do you think my brother likes that?” Luke asked, clearly going past the formalities. “Because if you think so, you are wrong and very much so. My brother doesn't need someone like you, my father raised him to run the kingdom on his own. You will only get in the way. And if that's not enough, I don't like you. I never will.”

I stopped dancing, standing up straight and with a threatening look (my favorite) I responded. 

“I was also raised to run a kingdom on my own, and yet here I am, wasting my time with a complete brat. I ask you, your highness, to rethink who is in the way here.”

Luke, with surely a lousy counterattack in mind, was interrupted by shouts from all over the great hall.

The chandelier had fallen in the center, causing everything around it to catch fire. People began to run desperately in search of a way out, the guards helped guide them all to the southern garden through large doors. 

“Princess Amberly, Prince Luke, run!” Calum took us both running for the exit.

“Where is the king?!” I shouted to be heard amidst all the noise.

A couple of guards led us to the side of the garden where the people of the palace and the town were splitting up to find the people they were looking for. Panic overcame me when I saw so many people scared. 

Three guards surrounded us, a little further away from us was Lidia with several sobbing girls, even the blonde that Luke had brought with her, but there was no sign of the king or queen, let alone Jake. 

“And the king? Calum, tell me you saw him, where is he?” Luke asked for answers.

A man who looked like Calum walked quickly towards us, the guards followed him with briefcases in hand. One seemed to take out a Bible and once in front of Luke, the man spoke. 

“He's here. It's you, you are the new king.”


	4. Chapter 3

The morning after the ball was quiet. The lack of Queen Susan's joyful life was as strange as the King's laughter and everyone in the palace could feel it. Even, though I only knew them for a short time. I remembered finding my mother talking on the phone with the Queen about nonsense to serious business matters, I was infinitely grateful to the Queen for taking my mother away from a couple of lessons.

Gardenstone has a particular way of saying goodbye to its loved ones: people would write a word describing such people on an acorn, they would gather and water them all over the forest. A nice old lady explained to me that different trees sprouted like the oak tree and when they grew up a person was also born with the written word in a way that reflected the impact you have on the world even after you die. She could assure me that people with good intentions would come out of the words of Queen Susan, King Robert, and Prince Jake. 

“Fifty delivered and about... sixty more arrived.”

Luke nodded, tired. I left the piles of papers on the big desk in front of him and took a seat on the other side.

After he had been appointed King and after the farewell, thousands of petitions from citizens and nobles had arrived in the early hours waiting to be authorized. Seeing the load of papers, I offered to help Luke and avoid the collapse of my neighboring country. My mother decided to do the same on her own by talking to the dukes and duchesses who feared for the future of Gardenstone as it was justly uncertain. 

“I slept for two hours... and everyone wants me to approve petitions, I don't understand why.”

Luke had spoken more to himself, but that didn't stop me from laughing a little.

“What's so funny?” He asked, paying attention for the first time all morning.

“Of course they want you to approve petitions. They're taking advantage. Since your father, may he rest in peace, is no longer the king, they expect you to approve everything he didn't. But I hope you have not approved many, parliament will have a lot to discuss and it will probably be exhausting.”

Luke was stunned, looking for the right way to hide his inexperience.

“It's parliament's job, exhausting or not.”

“They wouldn't give the same importance to every role and something important might be disapproved of or something unimportant might be approved, it's risky.”

“If you know so much, why don't you do it?”

Clearly, the regulation of his tone had a flaw causing it to come out more aggressively than planned.

“It would be a pleasure. I firmly believe that I can do it better than you, Your Majesty.”

Luke let go of the pen in his hand and crossed his arms. If I didn't think it was funny I'd say he was trying to be intimidating but suddenly he relaxed his gaze.

“I'd like to check that out. Oh, and also about approving petitions, princess.”

I clenched my fists but like him I relaxed my gaze, ready to give an intelligent answer.

“I'm sorry I dared to think I was talking to a king, when it is clear the long road you have to be considered one.”

The slamming of the door interrupted Luke from saying - surely - something stupid.

“Busy, Your Majesty?”

Calum's brown hair peeked out, smiling at the sight of me.

“Go ahead, did you get any sleep, Cal?”

Calum snorted at Luke's question, taking a seat next to me at the desk, and took an exhausted stance, dropping his hands down his pants.

“Are you kidding? Mom keeps calling, I had to turn off my Jhin just like Dad. Who, by the way, sent me to find out if you had authorized his request.”

The "Jhin", modern devices from cell phones that had the option to call among other things, and characterized by a function that allowed an easy finding of information about any individual, in the past there were social networks that were eliminated in the International Revolution and changed by the Jhin.

“You find it in this rubble and I'll authorize all the requests you want” Luke sighed leaning back in his seat and pointing to the papers in front of him.

Calum looked at him sorrowfully, none of them in the mood. Said and done, Calum managed to find the petition he recognized by the notorious "H" for "Hood" in one corner of the paper, leaving it on top of all the others.

Luke took it, signed it without hesitation, and took a second to read.

“You should read it and then sign it, you know?” Calum mentioned, gaining the satisfaction I hoped to get from correcting Luke.

“You have my absolute trust, you know?” Luke replied in the same tone without taking his eyes off the document, opened his big eyes, and handed it to Calum who accepted it immediately. “Are you my Diplomatic Adviser? What about your father?”

“After what happened last night, he thinks it's time for me to take his place. I would eventually, but it seems to him that I need to be by your side now to support you and test my training," Calum replied, noting the anguish in his friend's expression. 

I had nothing to say so I got up and directed my interest to the books on the shelves pretending not to pay attention.

“I suppose your father went with your mother to his village…”

“You guess right," Calum paused for a moment. “Hey, I know you're not well. It must be hard to lose your family... I can't imagine waking up without my parents and my sister... but you're not alone, I'm here if you need to talk.”

Luke smiled sideways, quietly accepting his proposal.

“You need to take a break, it's all happening so fast," Calum said, almost reading his mind. “The kingdom needs you to be in good shape.”

Frustrated Luke rose from his seat to sit in the corner of the desk.

“I don't know what else the kingdom needs, and that will be your first task. Also, stop sending in paperwork, close down the possibility of sending in a petition until further notice.”

I was going to tell him how reckless it was to shut down the arrival of petitions but I finally stopped to think about the matter I had provisionally ignored: I had no power in Gardestone and I didn't know what was going to happen to the alliance. 

“His Majesty, His Highness, young Hood” A guard appeared at the door with cards in hand which he dealt to the three of them. “Their Majesties King Ashton and Queen Lauren of Lauxwell would like you to attend a dinner they have arranged for themselves tonight.“

“Are those harpies still in my palace?” Luke raised an eyebrow. The poor guard did nothing but nod. “Get rid of them. I want them out.”

“Are you crazy?” exclaimed Calum, clearing his throat as he realized the mistake he had just made. “I mean, are you sure you want the Irwins out? As your royal advisor, I don't think it's true to your word, your majesty. King Ashton won the duel and the terms-”

Luke raised a hand to stop Calum from talking. 

“Guard, I need privacy, if it's not too much trouble…”

The Guard bade farewell with a bow. 

“You too, Princess," said Luke, "you can request as many maids as you need for tonight, but that's no reason for you to stay here another second.”

I blinked uncertainly as to how to respond to his insinuation... or insult. I was still debating what was most appropriate.

“Did I not make myself clear? -Or would you rather stay here and stare at me a little longer?”

“I can't ask my eyes to meet this turtle," I answered, in the most pleasant tone I could find and advanced to the door.

“Are you sure? I can turn around if you need to," I heard him scream from the hall.

Halfway down the hall, I decided that I had to set certain limits for "his majesty" if I was going to live with him and his insufferable attitude for one more second. With that in mind, I changed my direction back to the office and stopped short when I heard my name in the conversation.

“-I'm serious, Cal Amberly is unbearable!”

Eavesdropping had never been something I enjoyed, much less needed. I knew there was nothing good about it... and yet I stuck my back to the wall outside the office. 

“-the whole kingdom is depressed. Just by spreading the word about Princess of Maredale's temporary stay they have begun to produce the best quality products, the children went out to play again” Calum debated. “Your people feel the comfort they have not received from their king.”

“Is that what they want? Miss "I got a lesson in something important" and "I can run a country on my own"?” Luke asked, trying to imitate my voice. “Nonsense! I bet she can't choose which well-known book to read without help, so many classes have been useless if she can't speak for herself and waits for her mother to do all the work for her. A babbler! that's what she is. Even that Ashton idiot has more courage than she does.”

I thought I'd walk through that door to tell him how wrong he was. I could even make a scene and choose to tear all of his fine clothes into pieces that would be scattered all over the palace. 

But I didn't. Because deep down I knew he was right.

I spat cautiously. My eyes were threatening to drop the tears. 

“Please, Luke. You don't know what you're saying," Calum replied. “Queen Elizabeth is going to be back any minute and I don't think she'd like to hear the way you express about her daughter.“

“If the Queen does anything, it will only show what a coward the Princess is.”

Without realizing it, I was walking with a strong step to my room.

Luke was telling the truth, what was the point of taking classes and lectures if I couldn't speak for myself?

Ashton had said it too, though much more subtly. He implied that I could take charge of my destiny and it must not be like my mother had planned all along. 

Courage- I didn't have it. I wanted to find it and show it off like a new toy, but that's not how it works. 

“Princess, I was looking for you.”

Lidia interrupted my walk into the room, looked into my eyes that were probably already a little red and wet. She gave me a warm smile and took my hands and led me into the room. I sat down on the edge of the bed and talked, holding back my sobbing.

“Lidia, I was about to do the same thing, but…”

She hissed as her hands were lost in the closet.

“Quiet, from the look of your beautiful face I can tell you heard something…”

Lidia stood in front of me with a bright ruby red dress in her hands, a golden ribbon, the colors of the Gardenstone, all around. The silk fabric adjusted perfectly to my body, falling to my feet with a discreet opening at the side of my right leg; the waves of my hair embraced me. Suddenly it did not seem that I had been crying for the fool that the King was.

“....and by the look of you in this dress, I can tell you will shut the same mouths that said something about you.”

¥

The main dining room shone on its own even though the green decoration was quite noticeable, it looked like Christmas. The red walls looked soft, smooth, and warm, I liked to think that and the spruce chairs had been Queen Susan's idea. In the center I expected a long table with food, a lot of exquisite food, I didn't think I had seen those delicacies before, I assumed they were typical of Lauxwell. Around the table, the guests - mostly servants of the palace - had already begun to enjoy the food, while the nobles were talking and eating slowly. 

I took a breath, looked up, and entered the dining room. 

Lauren saw me first, smiled for a second, and went on with her meal. At her side, Ashton adjusted his tie and looked at me for a few seconds directly in the eyes as if he wanted to tell me something. My mother, who had returned from her talks, nodded approvingly. Calum took his attention off a plate, looked at me, and elbowed Luke. Luke did not flinch. 

“Sorry I'm late, go on with your dinner.“

“Princess, please sit next to me.” Ashton stood up, offering a chair. 

“No, sit next to me.” Luke did the same. “You are a guest in my kingdom, after all.“

<


	5. Chapter 4

A few minutes ago, Ashton and I had wandered away from the path that indicated the correct way to go through the garden; "The right thing is not always the right thing to do," he´d said. 

I began a round of rather informal questions as we continued to walk around.

“Your turn, has anyone ever conquered that heart of yours before?” He asked. 

“Not really, it's a... territory that hasn't been explored or not much.” 

That was true, I've never had a relationship with anyone before. Since I was a little girl I only had time for the duties that a princess in training has to do. I had flirted with some, yes, but I promised myself to keep those moments to myself. Besides, my mother's words always echoed in my head; "Wanting and needing are different things, to reign you don't need a man... but if someday you want him, go after him".

“What about you?” I asked. 

“No, not at the moment. I've had lovers, of course, but in the end... I return to the throne alone.”

“Explain to me, since you and Lauren are kings... what will happen when one of you gets married?”

The subject had some relevance for me: it was a mystery that was not described in the books or exposed in the classes, a singular case.

“If that happens... when that happens," he corrected himself, "then the other abdicates the throne. We made that pact when my father died.”

Covenants, promises, and favors were of high importance to everyone in the three kingdoms. Believing someone else's word was difficult, but whoever did not keep it should be prepared to lose his honor and deal with the consequences. 

We remained silent for a moment; I didn't know how to follow the talk. 

“Tell me, what did you think of the dinner?” Ashton asked, encouraging our passage. “Lauren said that the decoration was a lot, but in my opinion, it's more appropriate to use our colors.”

“The food was delicious, I didn't know such exquisite things existed.” I looked at it out of the corner of my eye. He didn't say anything, that's not why we were here. “You don't want to know that, do you? We came here for another reason.”

He blinked as if he had been taken by surprise, maybe he had. It wasn't on purpose, just an accident. 

He raised his eyebrows to indicate a bench in the middle of the garden, surrounded by flowers as we were now.

We took a seat. I didn't bother to remove my arm from his until he did.  
And he didn't. 

“I noticed that you were a bit strange with His Majesty King Luke," he said Luke´s title in a tone close to mockery. 

I couldn't tell him the things Luke had said about me, except that I believed them myself. The truth was that I felt small, an heiress from one country staying in another without an expiration date, hoping to bring them together... soon without my family, without answers, and power.   
I couldn't tell him that, not exactly. 

“You know Luke, his attitude and... his existence, in general, has overwhelmed me a bit.”

The hand that I had free approached slowly and caressed my cheek delicately as if touching the outline of a bubble. 

“Your situation is not easy. I know you are not telling me everything I think you are not telling me anything... but I understand. You are afraid.”

As accurate as he was, I didn't admit it. Although I had liked his comfort. 

“I have nothing to do here, at least not now. I don't know if I'm any good at this moment and that's... I don't like it, it's not good for me. It is frustrating.”

He nodded, understanding every word. His eyes were very close to mine. I took his hand resting on my cheek and gently pushed it away. 

He was still the King of Lauxwell. As attractive, understandable, and friendly as he was, I couldn't forget such detail. 

“I think the answer to your sorrows is closer than you think... How do you think the leaders we know came about?”

I took a breath. 

“Each one had their impulse and purpose based on their interests and of course, their environment, ideals, values, needs... their geographical location and family tree have a great influence too. Oh, and it depends a lot on the psychological state they were in when-”

He placed a finger over my lips, suddenly silencing them with a loving smile. He pushed it away when he saw me surprised. 

“Even if I could sit and listen to you quote the entire dictionary from memory, let's focus on the first part. They had a purpose, just like you, and they followed a path to achieve it. Moreover, they knew how to take control when they were given an opportunity.”

My purpose at that time was to have power. I was stuck in the shattered remains of what once seemed to be my future. 

“You are a smart woman, you will think about how to do it and if you need help I will be with you every step of the way.”

He was close, very close, his eyes looked especially beautiful in the moonlight. I allowed myself to lose a second in them, imagining what it would feel like to see them after a kiss. His eyes came down to my lips, his hand placed on my cheek as just minutes before, the caress of his thumb made me surrender to the touch. I approached, the warnings in my head went unnoticed, what was a kiss under the moon? innocent, pure, vulnerable. 

“Ahem... “

We both jumped out of the seat, taking a few steps away from the sound of a voice in the darkness. When I looked for the emissary all traces of happiness in me vanished. 

“I would have regretted the interruption, believe me, but your faces were very good... “

Luke walked forward as if to let us know that he was there and had seen it all. Or worse, listened. 

“What can we do for you, Your Majesty?”

Luke let out a raw, unfunny, cynical laugh. 

“You can't help me at all. She can, I need her for the official business. It has to do with Maredale.” He looked at me, pure malice he let me see. “Are you coming with me, Princess?”

“Right away.”

I didn't turn to see Ashton, I knew he would understand and I followed Luke down the dark path back to the castle. Once inside, he started walking so fast that I had trouble keeping up with him. 

“Will you tell me what this is all about?” I asked as we walked up the stairs. 

He shook his head. I had a buffet and we stopped outside my room.

“Well?” 

I looked forward to his words. Was he regretting keeping me here as my mother had asked?

Or maybe it was bad news, I couldn't think of anything that could go wrong in Maredale. 

“You're welcome.” He said without further ado. He turned around and started walking down the hall. 

You're welcome?

“What?” I walked over to him and stopped him in his tracks. He turned his eyes. “What happened to Maredale? What was the official business?” He smiled mischievously. “There was no official business, was there?”

He laughed out loud. The urge to hit him grew and grew inside me. I frowned and crossed my arms until he fell silent. 

“Come on, it was fun! Stop looking at me as if I've interrupted something, princess... oh, right! a kissing session with the "oh-so-hot" King of Lauxwell.”

“Shut up!” I shouted. “It's not funny. It's not funny, Luke. You used the name Maredale in vain.”

“As if you didn't do it.”

My purpose: to shut up Luke. 

My way: a slap in the face. 

My right hand struck Luke's left cheek hard enough to disrupt him. He swayed a little, I saw his red cheek and anger- rage and indignation in his blue eyes. My body shook. 

The sound of the slap echoed down the hall, drawing the attention of two servants who were passing by. One of them was Lidia who analyzed the scene in amazement. 

"I said shut your mouths, not make them bleed," she seemed to say. 

“Don't use Maredale's name in vain.” I slammed the door behind me. I smashed into the door and held my breath. I held it for a few minutes waiting for a sound, a knock on the door from him, something. 

The seriousness of what I had done fell on me. I slapped Luke. 

I had laid a hand on the King of Gardenstone.


	6. Chapter 5

I have never felt so nervous. Not even the day I arrived at Gardenstone did I remember feeling the headache and tension that had been eating away at me since the night before. 

I had committed great disrespect to the King. I had hurt Luke who, no matter how much he deserved it, was still a possible ally. I could hear my mother scolding me once I was in front of her: "I raised you better than this! You are the Princess of Maredale, Amberly Sarah Campbell! Are you proud of your actions? Your actions affect the entire kingdom and you forgot all about it..." 

“Your Highness” Calum spoke on the other side of the door. I opened it and he didn't smile. “The King wants to see you. The parliament is gathered together with His Majesty Ashton and Queen Elizabeth.”

“Let's go.”

I avoided the looks at all costs. I did not want to show the fear in my eyes as we walked to the parliament office in the farthest part of the palace. I wouldn't let Luke look at me either. He would call me a coward and I would not be able to deny it, after all - I was the cowardly princess. 

I was lost enough reliving Luke's words in my head that I hadn't noticed when we arrived at the office. I did not greet the parliament, a mistake my mother would repeat to me until the end of time.

Calum escorted me to a table with them around at a considerable distance sitting seriously in their seats, with Luke in front of me behind a dais and Ashton behind him. I barely got a good look at him, nor did we make eye contact. 

Murmurs began to pour out around me, I couldn't tell anything from them. I let my head formulate its phrases; surely they were a punishment. 

Luke took a few seconds before he shut up the parliament, looked at me waiting for me to say something.

He was giving me a chance to defend myself before I was sentenced. 

“I'm sorry.”

My voice was loud and firm enough to achieve silence and get attention. Luke leaned over on the dais inviting me to continue. 

“I'm deeply sorry, Your Majesty. I know what I did was truly disrespectful and I regret it.” 

From the corner of my eye I saw Ashton whispering something to Calum, he stood up and lowered his shoulders in confusion. Luke's gaze remained fixed on me for a few seconds, he lowered it, and with a mocking smile, he stood upright again.

“Although your apology was touching, Princess, that's not why you're here today.”

Oh...

... What a piece of shit. 

“An informant arrived in the early morning from the Gardenstone/Maredale border, apparently there are people-families who have decided to cross that border without the use of official documents thanks to a petition that was approved. The people who cross from Maredale to live with their relatives in Gardestone are asking to have a voice in this kingdom, someone to represent them.”

I had warned him, I did. He signed a petition without reading it and these were the consequences. My mother must have found out days before and this was Luke's way of dealing with his mistakes without fully recognizing them. Nothing foolish about that. 

“Migration has always existed, Your Majesty, why are you asking for this representation now?” 

He had more than understood what I was getting at but since I had humiliated myself in front of parliament, the most I could do was to see Luke dismantle his intentions in the wake of his mistakes. 

He rolled his eyes, he knew well what I wanted. 

“It was not necessary before since this migration was moderate. Now, they can come and go as they please, something that had not been considered possible except for the union that Maredale and Gardestone were going to make.”

"They were", not "they are" or even "they could"... he really didn't like the idea. 

“Due to this lack of control we will give them what they need and the parliament present with me has come to the conclusion that it is you, your highness” He began to talk heavily, it was hard for him to ask for help. “If you wish to extend your stay in Gardestone, the position of Ambassador is available and eager to be filled.”

Bingo. 

This was my chance to be something more, to be useful. My mouth and my thirst to be needed again were ready to say yes...

“It would be an honor to represent my kingdom in this way... but first, I would like a moment alone with His Majesty, if possible.”

In the background, Ashton smiled with approval at my action. I heard my mother's heels in the distance.

I took the way the parliament cleared the room too quickly as a silent "Thank you". Something told me that moments before the discussion with their new King had not pleased them and had left them tired. 

Luke came down from the dais, hands in his pockets and a tired, disinterested expression but still hard enough to make people kiss his feet. Emphasis on "the people"- me being the exception. 

“So? What does the little Maredale beetle have to say?” He laughed when I opened my mouth in protest. “Don't start, be thankful that last night's slap will only cost you the mockery.”

He wasn't just talking about the nickname. 

“Why didn't you tell me what this was all about before...?”

“What for? You humiliated yourself pretty well on your own. And yet I stopped you before I got you down on your knees in front of me... Don't worry, you'll do that on another more private occasion. That's the equivalent of another nickname, dipstick.”

Asshole. 

Although his words served the purpose of distracting me, I had to get back to the important issue where I was in control. Because he needed me, to see him admitting it was far from happening but I could take that tiny advantage. 

“I accept the position, representing my people," I spoke out, or so I thought. “On one condition... I want to be treated as such.”

The laughter that he sent out echoed through the room, at least all the people in the corridor had heard it. 

“I'm serious," I said. He mockingly composed himself. “We are both sick of dealing with the princess. As long as I'm an ambassador I'll make a living on my own, you can pretend the princess isn't here and I'll keep her quiet. I promise. I just want to help.”

He raised an eyebrow with interest. 

“That means you'd be serving me too, you don't know what you're saying.”

I tried to hide my doubts from his words. If I wanted to be respected I really had to stop living in my mother's shadow. I couldn't give up the title, but this deal was taciturn and only until my obligations needed the part of me with a kingdom as my inheritance. 

Besides, the princess had nothing to do but observe Luke's poor decisions. In this way, I would also observe Luke's poor decisions - even more closely, but I could satiate the needs of the Maredans and I could do so with my own voice. 

“I'm serious.” I analyzed the remnants of doubt in him. “Don't worry about my mother, I'll talk to her and she'll understand, I know.“

He snorted, caressed the cheek on which my slap was. He put his hand down and walked over to me, holding it out. 

He said, "We have a deal, prin... Amberly.”

The title change made me smile, just a little, as I shook his hand. Then I saw his blue eyes with malice tints disguised. I understood the discreet warning he had given me seconds before, "That means you'd be serving me too, you don't know what you're saying," and no, I didn't. 

¥

My hand shook slightly when I turned the knob in the room my mother was occupying. I walked in a circle down the hall five minutes earlier, organizing my thoughts and how I would explain the business of being an ambassador. After all, I was qualified to be an ambassador; those classes were not in vain. Even if I wasn't running a country, something was better than nothing and I would defend my position. 

“Amberly?” 

She spoke from her seat in front of the dresser as a couple of maids packed their things, walking back and forth.

“Go ahead, little one. I was going to look for you before I left just as parliament was meeting” I felt invited into the room by the gesture of her hand, as elegant as ever. “I thought you would be with King Ashton or his sister.”

“Oh, no," I said, taking a seat in the corner of his bed. “By the way, what do you think of them, Mother?”

She moved the cigarette holder she was holding in one hand, looking for the answer to my question.

“They are both here while their political advisor directs and cares for Lauxwell. It's a risky move... Do you know why they do it, to visit Gardenstone?”

Great, I had gotten a trivia lesson by accident. 

I forced myself to think about it, curious that I hadn't done it before. “One, to show Luke that even if it was for a few lousy months they had more experience running a country. And two, analysis of territory; to know if Gardenstone would be willing to make the alliance with them instead of Maredale. I already see that as impossible, Mother. King Luke hates Ashton.” 

And me. But he hated Ashton more. 

I could bet that Luke would make that change.

“What do you think of him?”

He wasn't really bad like everyone said. I found Luke eviler than most people, but Ashton... 

“He shows dedication to his people, the simple fact of recognizing the damage his ancestors have done is very... sincere," I answered, without thinking of his other qualities or the friendship (or something more than that) that was growing between us. “I heard that they began to forgive debts.”

“Lauxwell doesn't forgive debts, the Irwins don't forgive debts... they just stop collecting for a while.”

The thought of Ashton collecting the kiss we might have had the other night was fleeting and went away instantly.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else.”

“I'm listening.”

As if she knew what I was going to talk about, she put on a voice that had frightened me since I was a little girl: her queen voice.

“I accepted to be an ambassador” Her silence indicated that I could continue: “It is necessary that the people who come from our kingdom know that there is someone advocating for them. Luke - King Luke has approved a petition for the free movement between the two -”

“If this is your way of throwing a tantrum because the alliance didn't work out, give me five seconds and I'll talk to the King.”

“It's not that, not at all, and please don't do it," I asked, my nerves were stable but I couldn't find the courage anywhere. “I want to make a living here, be useful here.”

She sighed a couple of times before speaking again, that's what she did when she was arguing with herself. 

“I guess if you accepted you know the consequences. My political power can't get in the way if something doesn't feel right in your new job…”

Triumphant with the results of this talk, I threw myself at her in a tight hug.

“Good luck, child. You're going to need it.”

“Thank you” I let out the air I didn't know I was holding. “Thank you, Mother.”

“Save your thanks for when I get back. I hope to return and see something new in the King, for a change” We both laugh. “Keep an eye on him, so that he doesn't give me any more trouble with my border. I love you.”

“I love you.” 

¥

“I guess it went well," Ashton leaned against the door frame. “How do you feel, Maredale Ambassador?”

“Pretty... good," I smiled.

His body language betrayed him, it seemed he wanted to come into the room and maybe say goodbye to my mother or ask her for some advice, but something was holding him back. He noticed that I noticed. 

“Come with me. Luke asked me to introduce you to... a colleague.”

I nodded, interlocked my arm with his in a strangely familiar act and we started walking. 

“Will you tell me a little about your "colleague"?”

“First I need the details of the prank you pulled, why did you apologize to Luke?”

“I slapped him last night, he had nothing important to say to me and started talking nonsense.”

Ashton laughed without discretion, his laugh was very nice. 

“Typical of him, I'm glad you did," he said proudly, leading us to another part of the palace I hadn't seen before, "not the apologizing part. Don't do it, he doesn't deserve it.”

I played with the long sleeve of my jacket, accidentally pulling his. Instead of getting angry, he held my hand.

“His name is Michael. Son of Queen Susan's sister, Luke's cousin, Duke of Greenbush, and your boss," he explained. “There are no ambassadors, you're the first, so Luke had to create a system…”

“He needs an alibi in case something goes wrong and my mother arrives asking for someone's head, he made sure it wasn't his,” I analyzed aloud. “What a... coward.”

It was liberating somehow to use the word with someone who wasn't me, for once. 

“Why do you know him?” I asked as we walked out of some doors. 

“Before, many years ago my father used to visit Gardenstone and bring us on his travels. Luke, Calum, and Michael were the only kids I could talk to... and fight with," he looked at the horizon, revisiting his memories

We stopped at what looked like a very perched and forgotten greenhouse behind the palace. The vines covered it quite well, from a distance it looked like a giant pot. Who knows how many animals had made their home there. 

“Good morning, Princess Amberly... and Ashton.”

A blond hair appeared behind our backs. Michael's beard made him look a little big but he bet he was the same age as Calum. He looked formal but not at all scary or anything like his cousin. 

Ashton gently slid his hand out of mine, taking a step towards him. “It's been a while since we've seen each other.”

“And we needed more than a while," Michael replied rather dryly. “If you'll excuse us, Amberly and I have work to do.”

Ashton nodded, came over and put a kiss on my cheek, and then left. I was left reliving the softness of his lips. 

“Are you guys dating?”

Michael's voice came back. Boss. Work. Focus.   
.  
“Ashton and I? No, not at all.” I said quickly. “So... where's the workplace?”

In a far-from-elegant gesture, Michael pointed to the greenhouse. He was joking, he had to be... 

“Luke didn't want to spend so much on building an office, so part of the budget will go to remodeling this greenhouse," he said disinterestedly. “Sadly you can't remodel if you have all those plants and soil and... diseases. That's your first task, see you when you're done!”

“I can't do it alone is-”

“-Of course you can, Luke said you could…”

Luke was an asshole. 

¥

I had spent my whole afternoon in the greenhouse. I took out plants, pulled out beetles, and even moved a family of birds from there, and yet it seemed like I had only tickled it. My hands were broken, I thought about wearing gloves but it was too late and the guards said Luke had given orders not to give me any tools. Just what I needed.

I shook off my black pants and the browner than white blouse I was wearing once not a ray of sunshine was present in the sky. I headed back to the palace through the kitchen entrance. Some servants greeted me, a friend of Lidia's offered me an apple that I accepted with enthusiasm and we even talked about the stories of ghosts that haunted the place. Somewhat shaken, I walked through the great hall. 

I hadn't visited the place since the incident, just getting close gave me the creeps. I couldn't help but remember the faces of the kings and Prince Jake. Sometimes I thought about what I would be doing if such a terrible event had not happened and I found a picture of Gardenstone and Maredale together, Jake and I on the throne and none of the self-centered Luke present; I would have made a deal with Lauxwell just to get him away from me. 

A hand touched my shoulder, my reflexes and self-defense classes came out, taking the hand and twisting it on the attacker's back. The blonde hair scared me for a moment, if it had been Luke I wouldn't have forgiven myself, but thanks to the Sea it was Michael. 

“That's my hand!” He shouted I let go. “Didn't anyone teach you not to hurt people?”

“Didn't they teach you to announce yourself before touching a lady's shoulder in the dark, Duke?”

He snorted. A few steps were heard in the room, it was enough to look at Michael's face to know that he had heard them too. Without thinking twice, we hid behind two pillars. 

“It's none of your business, Ashton.”

Luke's voice echoed. I looked at Michael a few steps away, we both let go of the air.

He pointed to the doors I had entered, no doubt we could get out of the room if we were careful enough with the squeaking door. I shook my head and whispered, "It's noisy.”

“I still don't understand the game you're playing…” Luke's voice was much closer. 

Michael ran a finger down his throat with humor. If we didn't leave our presence was going to be suspicious and punished. 

“I'm not surprised, you were always very slow. But I hope that when you find out, you'll let me know. If it's not too late.”

A servant came out of the kitchen leaving the door ajar. Perfect. 

“...She has the last word, don't forget," I heard Ashton say before leaving.

Michael and I ducked, carefully passing through the door. Just to be safe, we went all the way back to the greenhouse. 

“Why did we do that?!” I exclaimed.

“I..." he hesitated a bit. “The place was scary.”

I nodded, chills ran down my skin again. 

“What were you doing there, Duke?”

He ran a hand through his hair, looked at the greenhouse, and answered. 

“I wanted to see the salon once more, they will soon start rebuilding it. I spent a lot of time there as a child," he looked through the greenhouse. “You did a good job for the first day…”

“Thank you, it was difficult without the gloves but-”

“Without the gloves? Did you work without gloves?” he asked, I nodded and showed him my hands. “For the Forest... that was what was missing. I'll talk to Luke, I don't think you're as bad as he says. “

Of course, he had told him I was bad, maybe then he wouldn't be guilty of treating me badly. 

He went over to the greenhouse, looking at the big pots that were blocking the entrance. 

“Do you mind if I give you a hand with these?”

“I don't need your help, Duke.”

He clicked his tongue. 

“Call me Michael, no problem. I won't be here tomorrow, let me help you.”

He seemed genuine, and since he mentioned it he did need help carrying those pots. 

I nodded, we both took a big pot from both ends and started lining them up on the side of the greenhouse. 

“What did you do to upset him, my cousin?” he spoke after releasing the second pot. 

“Today or since he has known me?” We loaded the third one. “I have a couple of ideas but whatever the reason, he earned my displeasure in the same way.”

We let go of the pot, heading for the other one. 

“This one is broken," he said when we picked it up. “He said you were a... coward," he panted. 

The words came back to me in Luke's voice, distracting me enough to let go of the grip on my side of the pot. It hit the corner of the greenhouse, and Michael and I squatted to pick up the mess. 

“Yes, I heard it," I muttered, pulling pieces of the pot off. 

“And? Will you prove him wrong?”

I passed Michael's question unnoticed as my fingernails bumped into something hard in the dirt. I took the material out and shook it aside, a set of three metal keys with unrecognizable details gleaned through the soil

“Keys.” I put them in his hands. “Do you recognize them?”

“No, but I can bet they open a passage," he admired them for a few seconds and placed them back in my hands. “Finders keepers, I guess.”

I put them in the pocket where my Jhin was to show them to Lidia in the morning. 

Michael stopped talking about Luke and we talked about his life at the palace and the visits he made every Christmas. It seemed to be a tradition that Queen Susan invited her family to cook delicious desserts and cut wood while King Robert's family had been away for a long time. 

After a few minutes, the entrance to the greenhouse was free and ready to be fixed but that would wait a few hours. 

“I'd better tell His Majesty about my departure tomorrow, so we'll know what torture awaits you," he joked.

...He joked?

We walked up the stairs to Luke's quarters, a light under his door indicated that he was still awake. There was sobbing coming from below, I didn't know whether to warn me or run away. 

“Is it... him?” I asked, not bothering to hide my surprise. 

Michael didn't either, he was as perplexed as I was at the door. 

“I'll leave you the directions in a note, your maid will give it to you in the morning.”

His indication was enough to start my way to my room. From my shoulder, I could see Michael opening Luke's door. A girl came out fully dressed and closed the door behind her. 

I turned my thoughts off halfway through, I would not analyze the situation thoroughly. Luke wasn't sobbing, it must have been that girl. Now, he was bringing more brunette girls than blondes, who knows what would have changed.


	7. Chapter 6

Three delicate knocks on the door sounded in the room. I had been awake since the early hours of the morning, sleep came and went, and the intrigue of last night's sobbing didn't help. I refused to believe it was Luke, it made me uncomfortable to even imagine him crying. 

“Good morning, Amberly.”

“Lidia, come in," I offered her two pins. “I tried to put these on my braid but it was impossible.”

She laughed a little, closed the door, and settled down behind me, and I saw her face in the mirror on the dresser. She wasn't wearing any makeup, she didn't need any. She was just a few years older than me and looked spectacular. 

“So... ambassador," She began to talk, struggling a bit with the pins. “How do you feel?”

I sighed while fiddling with a pair of earrings within my reach. 

“Well, except that I have to do my work, I can't wait to make some real changes," I smiled. “How did you end up working here?”

“My father was a great friend of the king, they played together as kids. When they grew up, he married Queen Susan... Jake, Luke, you know that part... and my father, on the other hand, married my mother who died when I was five... “ I touched one of her hands in a comforting gesture, she looked at me and nodded. “Before he died, my mother made my father and the king meet again, so the king felt a responsibility to... help us. He gave my father a job here, but he is old now and... it is my turn, I must help him.“

Her face was disturbed by memories, sadness threatened her. 

“You do a wonderful job, Lidia. Your father must be proud of you…”

She nodded at my attempt to encourage her. She finished the braid and started to put the pins in. 

“That's enough of that, I'd like to know... How is Duke Clifford?” She asked with more curiosity than she should have. “I heard the girls in the kitchen say that he was back and that he looked more charming than usual…”

It was by lowering her tone of voice, which made me laugh. 

“Did I hear wrong or did you call Michael charming?” I said, laughing as she blushed. “DUKE CLIFFORD…”

“AMBERLY! -I have your hair in my hands!” She pulled gently on the braid. 

I raised my hands in surrender. 

“He's not here today anyway," I smiled, she rolled her eyes.

“By the Forest, I almost forgot!” she exclaimed, looking for something in her cross-bag. After a moment she pulled out a letter. “It's from the Duke, for you.”

I took the letter that Michael had told me he would leave with Lidia, not without first smiling mischievously at Lidia who only hesitated.

"Amberly,

Hi, ´tis Michael! 

Your task will be to put the greenhouse aside for a while and organize the annual picnic for the employees at the palace. Naturally, this would be a task for the Queen and King but Luke has refused to participate and because of the tone in which he said "Do whatever you want, Mike" I have taken the liberty of asking you. I know you'll do a great job.

-M.”

“...employee picnic," I repeated aloud. “Sounds interesting.”

“Just like him," Lidia replied, a little distracted before she realized what she had said. “Sorry!”

“By the sea, Lidia, you should talk to him.”

She looked at me as if I had told her a very good joke. 

“I'm serious, he's... “ I couldn't find the words to describe him after our brief time together. “He'll make you laugh!”

“More than you do with such quips? I doubt it.”

She took the earrings from my hands and placed them in the jewelry box, exchanging them for gold ones that matched the short yellow dress I chose today. 

“We haven't spent much time together, but he looks different... “

“Than Luke? Even my mare is better than him," we shared a laugh.

“What about Ashton? I see you more with him... “

I shook my head and stopped myself from developing the thought. However, Lidia continued:

“Imagine for a second..." She took the necklace Lauren and Ashton had given me from the jewelry box and placed it around my neck. ”Amberly Sarah Campbell... of Irwin... Queen of Lauxwell.”

Laughter flooded my room again, the last time I laughed so much had happened so long ago that I didn't remember it.   
I took a few seconds to imagine it seriously, reigning next to Ashton... quite an adventure, who knows what he would plan every day to go out and distract us. And Luke... I imagined his anger at the fact that his kingdom had to surrender, which shook me a little. 

“I don't think it's possible," I told her once we weren't laughing. 

“Oh, come on! We all know how crazy the great King of Laxuwell is for you," She left the necklace on the dresser. “I think he's not the only one... “

Before I had a chance to ask what exactly she meant by that, someone knocked on the door desperately. Lidia opened it and a girl with gardening looks and short hair looked at her with fear. 

“Julia, what ...?” Lidia seemed to see her face in terror until that moment. She inhaled, understanding what was happening. “It's today…”

The gardener nodded, wrapping Lidia in a tight embrace as she sobbed against her clothes, despair was palpable on her face... she seemed to be about... sixteen or fifteen years old. 

“Julia..." whispered Lidia, pointing at me with her chin. 

Julia sipped her nose, arranged her clothes, and looked at me with shame. 

“Your Highness, excuse me, I didn't see you before," she spoke quickly. 

“It's all right, don't worry," I smiled, hoping to relax her a little. “What exactly is today?” 

They both looked at each other, Julia closed the door behind her. I had never seen Lidia so scared, she saw her partner with sadness. 

“King Robert started a system for us by marrying Queen Susan," the redhead swallowed. “The palace would lend money to the servants who needed it and they would pay it back within two months. The salary they give us is good if you've been here a while, Julia started recently. Her older sister had to have emergency surgery because of an accident at work so she asked for a loan... today is two months ago... “ Lidia turned her gaze to Julia, I nodded in understanding. “Since His Majesty Luke turned ten years old he has had to carry out this task in his father's eyes, collecting from workers who ask for this loan. Now he's the King, I don't think there is a difference... much less a pardon. He's going to fire her.”

“It's just me and my sister…” Julia shuddered. 

It hurt to see the girl in that state, who knows what so many tragedies were going through her head... How did they expect her to pay? 

I could help her, I needed to do something, to negotiate... to talk, even if it was with my least favorite person at the moment. 

I got up from the dresser, opened each drawer in search of something of sufficient value, of spare. The green glow of the necklace Lauren and Ashton had given me danced in the corner of my vision right where Lidia had left it after it landed on my neck. I took it and walked over to the girls. 

“Take me with you.”

¥

We went down the steps quickly, Julia led us through the corridors to the west side of the palace where the collections were taking place. 

We went out into the garden of this wing, it had fewer flowers than the rest of the gardens but they looked well cared for and freshly planted. In the middle of it was a U-shaped row of servants surrounding Luke, sitting at a picnic table with safes and papers on it. 

“We're on time, it's starting," whispered Lidia just to us. 

Luke looked bored, glancing at the paper in his hands, not wanting to look around. He said the first name on the list apathetically. 

A boy with clothes full of hay and a couple of stains on his pants stepped forward, said something under his breath, the blond man snorted, and some guards grabbed the boy and dragged him out of the garden. Before he left, he spat at Luke's side, he got rigid about his action, for a moment I was afraid he would call him and give him a terrible consequence but he didn't. Instead, he hunched over again and spoke again as the boy was carried away from the garden. 

“Rosé Bellamy Julia.”

The girl covered her mouth beside me, shaking and about to sob again. I put a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her, feeling her body release the tension for a second. I looked at Lidia, she nodded as if she knew I had asked her to protect her if anything went wrong. Then I walked over to Luke. 

He didn't hide his surprise, straightened his posture, and left the paper on the table. 

“The last time I checked, your name wasn't Julia, your highness.”

Your words came out sharp as a knife, in your usual strong tone of voice. 

“The last time I checked you had humanity in you, your majesty. Or who knows, I am not so sure.” I tried (and succeeded) to match his tone, I slipped the emerald necklace close to his hand before he could say anything. “It's for Julia and for everyone on that list.”

Murmurs, muffled screams, and even sobbing surrounded us. Luke inspected the necklace in his hands, looked at a man in a suit who nodded repeatedly. 

“Tell me if you need more,” I asked impatiently. 

Luke raised an eyebrow, dropped the necklace in one of the boxes, and got up from the table. 

“That's enough, we're done here for the month," he spoke for the servants who were already celebrating, raising a hand to quiet the celebration. “Please, thank Princess Amberly.”

He winked at me while leaving the table. I frowned, I couldn't help but think that it wasn't all, that it couldn't be that easy. 

But maybe it was. 

Julia ran to me, I hugged her tightly, she had such a wide smile. 

“Thank you, Princess Amberly. I´ll never forget this!”

Like Julia, all the other servants came to thank and pay their respects. I took their hands which showed perfectly the work and tiredness they´ve invested. I nodded and was glad to see them relieved, carefree, hoping to see the same happiness released from more people in the future.

¥

On my way from the west wing to the east where the greenhouse was located, a line of servants and guards interrupted my path. In the end, I saw Lauren standing in front of a door, as bright and beautiful as ever, wearing a green suit and black heels as her hair.

“Lauren," I called to her, changing her pace to my direction. “What's all this?” 

“It's time for me to go back to Lauxwell, I have a couple of things to do. I left my luggage in this room, but apparently, no one has the key to open it," she crossed her arms. “Someone must do something about this lack of efficiency.”

I remembered the keys I had found in the greenhouse. I had completely forgotten to tell Lidia this morning, but they could help Lauren.

“I found some keys in the greenhouse.”

She blinked twice in a row and came closer to me with intrigue. 

“What were you doing there?”I looked at her with suspicion, I didn't understand her interest. “I've been told horror stories from there, that's all.”

“As an ambassador for Maredale, I must have a place of work that seems to be there," I explained. “I found them in a flowerpot, I suppose they´re forgotten or old copies but give me two seconds, I'll go to my room and check. 

She nodded, a guard stood in the way as soon as we took a few steps and showed a key. 

“I'm sorry for the delay, Your Majesty Lauren. We can open the door now.”

“Oh. No need to worry, good man. Go ahead," Lauren left room for me to pass and turned to me. “Princess Amberly, see you soon. I trust you'll take care of my brother, won't you?”

“Count on it," I smiled and she nodded, going the opposite way from me. 

I circled the greenhouse, taking a seat on a large rock outside with a feather and leaves in my lap, ready to capture the ideas I had for the picnic. I looked at the greenhouse, it was a matter of cutting some plants here, others there... I had a good space to put two desks and decorations inside once it was empty. 

A detail surprised me at the entrance. On top of a small wooden table, there was a pair of gloves ideal for manual work and a note on top of them, I took it and read it:

I took it and read: 

"Thank you.   
-L."


	8. Chapter 7

I admired the distribution of each blanket along with the front garden of the palace. Each one with a basket full of fruits, a small cake from the bakery at the foot of the palace, and a bottle of wine accompanied by its corresponding glasses. Even with the perfect organization of the picnic finished and the satisfaction of having finished everything on time, the matter of the glove was still hanging over my head.

"-L.", they signed. I had three options in mind: Lidia, the most obvious, she could be thanking me for what had happened - which I prevented from happening to Julia. Lauren, I did, after all, tell her about my work at the greenhouse. And the least possible, Luke; I thought about including him in the list since I started working, I really couldn't think of a reason why I would have done it if he was the one who left me without gloves in the first place; however, I didn't rule it out. Whoever it was I owed them one.

Michael's first task had been the easiest and no one had ever stopped my work. In the best-case scenario, Luke had decided that I was a person capable of organizing events. At worst, he was saving his ideas with malice for later. 

I watched people start filling up the tablecloths; gardeners, cooks, stable people; everyone had come to enjoy themselves as they should after the hard work they were doing at the palace; everyone with a smile on their faces.

“Blue suits you perfectly, your highness.”

Behind me Ashton approached slowly, admiring the scene. I think that years could go by and I would never cease to be surprised at her bright hazel eyes.

“And as far as I can see, you did a magnificent job with the picnic," He added. “Everyone seems to be enjoying what you prepared.”

“They are. Come with me, I have an extra basket," I invited him to hold his hand and stand on an empty blanket. “You should have seen how their eyes lit up when they heard they had the afternoon off and the food was ready.”

Ashton took a seat on the blanket as soon as my knees touched it. I took the basket I'd left for me as a personal reward and placed it between him and me. I took out the fruit while Ashton poured the wine glasses.

“I can imagine. You did an excellent job for a Queen's task... but it's something innate in you.” The last thing he said was so honest that I felt my chest shrink.

“In a way it is," I admitted, offering him a piece of bread which he accepted and exchanged for my glass. “I would have liked to have done a task...”

I shook my head in search of the word I needed while eating a fairly juicy piece of apple. Ashton pulled out a napkin and wiped the side of my mouth.

“...that suited your job?” he said, in a new closeness that took me by surprise and limited me to nodding. “Maybe Luke thinks it's too soon for that. Besides, whatever you do, the tasks on your level will come to you.”

“My "level" is... simple, then?” I asked, taking a piece of crusty bread for myself. 

“No, no, no, not at all," said Ashton, "I mean tasks for a Queen. Luke is lucky to have someone with your potential organizing events like this picnic.”

I laughed at how quickly he had corrected himself. “Luke is lucky to have anyone at all.”

As if he had been called out, Luke came out of the main gates of the palace and with a steady pace approached our blanket. I left the bread half-eaten and got up immediately, shaking the crumbs off my dress just as Luke stood in front of me with furrowed eyebrows and a tense jaw. 

“Your Majesty-”

“Save the formalities," he ordered, pausing his words as he noticed Ashton's presence. “Can we talk for a moment, Amberly? Alone?”

It took me longer to nod than he did to hold my wrist and take me with a quick step in another direction. 

“Ouch!” I shook my free hand from him as I stopped the pace away from the others. “What's your problem?”

With his hands on his waist and his chin up, enjoying the difference in height between us, he laughed as short as he was sarcastic.

“What´s my problem? Is the question serious?” He asked the seriousness on his face indicated that he didn't need an answer. “You organized the picnic without my permission! In answer to your question, you are my problem!”

“I'm sorry?”

“You should be. When I told Michael that he could do whatever he wanted, I didn't mean to leave the event in your hands," he interrupted. “And you... Of course, you wanted to organize it and show off your skills as the loser of the year.”

I took my hands to my waist just like him and I approached him now enraged.

“At least I have "skills", your majesty," I answered. “At least there is a picnic and at least there are people who are grateful for it. You should stop acting like a little child," I corrected myself, "-even a little child has more manners than you do.”

In a clean move, Luke grabbed me by the waist and pushed it into a vine-covered palace wall. Dangerously close, he pressed his chest against me to stop the effort to get out of his grip. 

“Manners, Princess? I have enough to keep you from saying goodbye and sending you back to your sad kingdom after the disrespect you have just committed," he took my chin and raised my eyes, forcing eye contact, whispering in my ear. “This is what you'll do: you will say goodbye to that Ashton idiot, go up to your room and not set foot in the garden until the event is over. Do you want to help the servants? Perfect. You'll clean up all things you put on my lawn without any help.”

The more he talked the more I felt the vines burying themselves in my back. Even with the slight lack of air that was increasing, Luke's fragrance filled my lungs.

“Don't come for me, princess, because you forget you are in my kingdom, in my palace..." He added, "Are you planning to stay? I'm afraid you must adapt to my rules.”

As he let go of my chin, he asked, "Any questions?”

I went through the buttons of the red shirt I had chosen today with displeasure, but willing to play along.

“Actually... “ I said, opening the shirt a little more by removing a button. Luke didn't refuse the strange move he seemed delighted, which made me even angrier. “Something was not quite clear to me, your majesty.”

He raised an eyebrow without saying anything else. I moved a finger at the height of my face asking him to come a little closer, and it wasn't until I was at the height of his ear that I asked, "At what point in all this did you say you were going to hell?”

With that I used closeness in my favor and finding momentum in the wall behind me I pushed him, freeing myself from his grip and getting a gasp from him.

“And leave you here alone?” 

I heard him ask aloud as I turned the corner of the palace and headed to my room.

¥

I entered the palace again through the kitchen door. I climbed each oak wood step with great effort, not knowing how I had reached the floor of my room without crawling. I was exhausted. The idea of taking a bath with bubbles and scented candles had kept me sane while cleaning. Now all I could think about was collapsing in bed and not waking up for a week. 

The sight of a male figure in front of the door made me discard all of the above.   
Ashton, as flawless and handsome as ever, was the only thing standing between the soft, comfortable bed in my room and my exaggerated exhaustion. 

“Amberly, you look..." he looked up and down at me, smiling sideways. “Tired.”

“I am.” A bone in my back had cracked as I straightened up, I was sure, I put what was left of my energy into a smile. 

“Go ahead," I invited him into my room, leaving the door ajar to avoid rumors. “Make yourself comfortable, I'll go clean up.”

I went into the bathroom and rubbed soap on all the places in me that were covered with dirt. 

“I see that you have gloves now," I heard his voice a little far away. “The ones on your dresser.”

I wiped the soap off my face with water and a towel, hoping to get rid of the smell as soon as possible. 

“Yes, they were a gift," I said, spraying me with perfume. 

“My sister said that before she left she met you in the corridor and you told her about your work in the greenhouse.”

A part of me was relieved, it seemed that the gloves had been Lauren's gift, not Lidia's... or Luke's. 

I returned to the room after applying the light pink lipstick I used in the morning. Ashton entertained herself by sitting on the edge of the bed. Once he realized I had returned, he touched the mattress at his side, an invitation to sit down that I did not refuse. 

“When She comes back, I'll thank her... When will she do that, by the way?” I asked noticing our legs rubbing a little bit because of the closeness. 

He let out a sigh, running a hand through his shiny black hair. A simply lovely gesture. 

“A month, exactly. She will be very busy with meetings, business, implementations... who knows, she may even be back engaged before I am.”

"Amberly Sarah Campbell of Irwin, Queen of Lauxwell," Lidia's words went through my mind as fast as a breeze. Which reminded me of the necklace. 

“The necklace," I spat, without first ordering my thoughts. “Forgive me, I... “

Stealing my attention, one of his hands covered one of mine placed on my lap, his thumb caressed me. I didn't push him away, I didn't feel like it. 

“I heard what you did with it, it's the purest and most humane use anyone could have given it..." his other hand wandered across my chin, connecting our gazes effortlessly. “Of all the things you can ask for as a result of your noble act, do not ask for forgiveness. There is nothing to forgive.”

I smiled, his gift of words could stun me again and again. 

“What else could I ask for? It was for the good of others. No offense, but the last thing I thought about was the negative consequences of giving him to Luke.”

The thumb on my chin traveled slowly to the edges of my mouth, so did his eyes. If I wasn't sitting down my knees would be failing from the weak they felt. 

“A reward. For having such a good heart, Amberly.”

I didn't think I would like so much to hear my name coming out of his mouth in the proximity we were in, a proximity that we disappeared the next second.

It wasn't clear who approached who first, I didn't care. His lips felt soft against mine at first, shy and delicate. The hand that was now on my cheek slipped subtly to the back of my neck to deepen the kiss, intertwining some small locks of hair between his fingers. My hands remained on the sides of his face, his beautiful face. My right leg, on the other hand, was threatening to get into his lap. He got permission from the hand that moments before had caressed mine, which positioned itself in the hollow of my back holding me tightly against him. 

“Amberly..." he let go so exquisitely as he took a breath. 

Finally, I slid my fingers through his hair. All the regret that accumulated in my body disappeared with each little kiss that he left from the crescent of my lips to my neck. His hands shook as they went up to my back. I kissed him behind his ear, gently biting his earlobe which caused a brief sound to come out. 

Then another sound interrupted us. Knocking on the half-open door interrupted the trance I had entered and I had trouble getting out. 

I jumped out of his lap without calculating the distance between the bed and the chest of drawers by throwing my gloves in the process, picking them up and leaving them in my grip as I walked out the door. I didn't bother to look at Ashton, I felt my whole face burn with shame. I walked out into the hallway through the half-open door space with my hands behind me holding the gloves. 

“Amberly, sorry to bother you at this hour…”

Luke, again. His presence replaced all happiness in me with anger. I still felt the displeasure of looking at him…

Necklace. Lauxwell. Ashton. Focus.

Ashton was still inside the room. 

“I hope you enjoyed cleaning up the garden.”

“I didn't know you were so worried about coming to see me. A note would have sufficed, Your Majesty.”

I spoke quickly, stumbling over the words. I was never good at lying, the pressure in moments of desperation helped me work and think but lying about such simple things made me nauseous. 

“Don't be so disappointed, I might think you don't like me. But really, I wanted to know if-”

“Your Majesty, what a surprise... “

Ashton opened the door by leaning against the frame, crossed his arms and I could tell he didn't worry about fixing the fuss in his hair or removing the lipstick marks from his face. Luke noticed it too, it must have been that which made him change his carefree posture to the one where he was walking around his office, ready to make you beg for forgiveness. 

“What a surprise, I agree with you.”

I was probably still in Ashton's trance, but I could swear that what was behind those blue eyes was anger. The kind of anger you get when one of your friends cheats at a card game. Funny. 

“Ashton, this is not the time…” I turned around trying to get him back in the room. I stopped. I had the gloves on my hands. 

Luke saw them. I held my breath, nothing could have been worse. 

“The gloves…” He spoke again. 

“They are a gift from Lauren, aren't they, Amberly?” Ashton interrupted him again.

Luke did a bad job of hiding the confusion on his face. 

“Yes, I... Can I keep them? I'll need them for when I start the greenhouse," I asked Luke. He blinked a couple of times, then nodded. 

He looked at Ashton from head to toe. I wondered if he would scold us since it was clear what was happening before his arrival. 

“I need to talk to Ashton," he pointed to him with his chin.

Ashton walked out of the room completely looking at me with a hint of mischief. 

“Amberly, it occurs to me that tomorrow you can switch the greenhouse assignment with the boy you forgot to save. I took care of him and in exchange for overtime, he will go back to work. First thing tomorrow morning you have an appointment with the horses in the stables, no one else will work, you will be alone... “

There it was, the anger again. 

“And no gloves.”


	9. Chapter 9

The next day I arrived at the stable on time, not wanting to argue with Luke anymore. Fortunately, years before I had had the whim of raising my mare back in Maredale, a whim my mother fulfilled on the condition that I take care of her. Although limousines and cars are quite common, all three kingdoms have moderate amounts of them and therefore it was easier to acquire a horse. I took care of the mare I called Mer, there were nights I spent finishing a book in the stable with her company and mornings I left the palace early to ride on the beach before the people woke up. I hoped they were taking care of her at home. All the knowledge I gained with Mer had been used to wonderfully caring for the five horses in the stable. 

Michael arrived in the middle of the hayride. He explained that he had heard the workers say that my work in the greenhouse had been splendid and how happy that made him already. He also told me that he now lived one floor below me, which explained why I´d seen Lidia come up and down more times than usual that morning. 

I told him about the gloves, Luke, and accidentally Ashton. Something clicked in his head that he didn't bother to share, he simply asked me not to worry. He immediately left under the excuse that he had some very important business to discuss with the King. 

The days went by quite quickly. My routine was the same for a week: waking up, getting directions from Michael, going down to the greenhouse, pausing for food, and going upstairs at night. I was working desperately to fix the greenhouse and was increasing the speed and time I spent listening to Calum speak for his Jhin about movements on the border. 

The girls in the kitchen gave me the lost information they were hearing and I slowly connected the narrative. There were going to be three major events in the next few weeks: a campout in the town of Mudtry, the Birch Celebration that was typical of Gardenstone, and another unnamed event for the time being. The information on the last one was very little but it existed; it would have guests from all three kingdoms so it earned its place on the list.

Ashton and I went out every weekend. We traveled around the palace exchanging thoughts, ideas, and the occasional kiss. We weren't a couple, but something that didn't know the difference between naivety and love told me we weren't far off. His company... just felt good, fair, and free. 

I was going down to the kitchen to start today's work. I knocked a couple of times on Michael's door and no one answered so I walked around hoping to find him on my way. Said and done, as I entered the kitchen I saw him leaning against a counter enjoying an apple. He was wearing a suit, it wasn't common for him. 

“Why so formal, boss?” I asked, taking an apple from a basket next to him.

I understood the reason for his location in the kitchen when the servants rushed past him. 

“Thank you for noticing. I must say that your comfortable attire is much better than the dresses you wore at first, it made me nervous," he joked and pointed at the servants with the apple he kept eating. “I dress like this for the same reason they do; Luke woke up wanting to travel to Lauxwell for a few days; they're preparing his trip and I will be in charge of the not-so-important stuff while he is away.”

“What about Calum?”

I poured two glasses of orange juice, he took one and thanked me with a nod. 

“He'll stay here and take care of the more important stuff, which I won't do. Luke asked that no one should accompany him but a few guards.”

“Why is he going to Lauxwell? I thought he hated the place as much as its residents.”

I looked through the conversations with the girls in the kitchen; they didn't mention this trip once. It had been sudden for everyone, even for Luke himself. 

“To spend time with Lauren," he replied casually. 

I quietly drank the rest of my juice. Spending time with Lauren? She had been here as long as Ashton, I didn't see them talking once and suddenly he wanted to spend time with her. Not just any time, time alone. That's why he didn't bring company. 

“Wow, are you okay?” Michael interrupted my thoughts, thanks to the sea. I nodded. “I lost you for a moment, is it because of Luke?”

I took the glass to the sink and started to wash it. 

“In a way, not having him around for a while sounds like a vacation. I will count and appreciate every second.”

I wanted to keep digging, to find out what Luke would be doing at Lauxwell and why he had decided to go "spend time with Lauren" all of a sudden. There was something that Michael wasn't telling me, he wasn't telling me anything. I stopped my tongue from asking, interest in the subject would only boost Luke's ego if that was possible. 

“I think you're doing a lousy job of hiding whatever it is you're feeling. That brings me to what you will do today.”

Michael pulled at my waist, dodging the servants who were going back and forth on their way to the west wing of the palace. We climbed a few stairs, this wing was noticeably emptier than the rest of the palace, it seemed like it was night plus the few windows were open. I recognized the beginning of the corridor we were heading down, we passed Luke's office. 

“You and I will take advantage of His Majesty's absence these days and do what you should have done from the beginning, your real work.”

We kept walking until we hit a wall, it had paintings of different trees and flowers on it. Michael ran his hands over the wall until he found what looked like a brick that had come out, pushed it and the gears started working, leaving the spiral stairs insight with the sides illuminated. 

“Come on, ladies first.”

I advanced and we began to go down the stairs. Judging by the look of the structure I could tell that they were using it constantly and it didn't seem so secret. 

“What will I do, exactly?” I asked, not encouragingly. 

“Maredans who crossed the border are here to formally present their needs, concerns, and so on. I had Calum bring them over before Luke was awake, now I owe that bastard a bottle of the finest wine in Greenbush.”

We got to the top of the stairs and I noticed we were underground. Michael opened a door that led out into a very wide hallway, on the other side he opened the door again to a room with people sitting inside, families, elders, Maredans waiting for answers. At the end of the rows of people, there was a desk and next to it a guard guarded the place. 

“This is a secret between you and me, understand?”

I smiled broadly and held back the urge to embrace him. I noticed tears forming in my eyes. 

“Wait, you said that we will both take advantage of the situation, what will you do?”

He smiled. 

“Bring more people, of course. I trust you will take enough time with each person in this room, however, we will see as many citizens as possible so that once Luke returns you can spend another week in the greenhouse without worrying about them... your people.”

I nodded repeatedly. 

He took one last look at the room and opened the door. 

“Michael," I called, making him stop. “Thank you.” 

“It's nothing," he smiled. 

¥

I never believed that what people tell you about time passes more quickly when you do what you like is true, but attending to the Maredans and listening to them proved me wrong. 

Most didn't come for lack of work in Maredale but to discover the magic and potential of Gardenstone. It was very rare for people to leave their kingdom with what they had become accustomed to in their own homes, what a nice irony. I didn't blame them, sometimes even your own house is too small if you fill it with dreams and hope. 

Michael kept his word to bring people. We provided housing and work for those who needed it in Greenbush where Michael would have them all under his care and helping out in his vineyard as his employees. One family or another asked for the possibility of having businesses in the capital of Gardenstone and we had to put them on hold because it was very risky for Maredan businesses to rise out of nowhere near the palace but we promised to help them when we could.

No one-not even Ashton, who was constantly being asked to postpone appointments-knew what we were doing. For the first two days, we went unnoticed by everyone around the palace, our main concern was that Luke would arrive in less than expected. The "expected" was getting more and more confusing for me. I avoided thinking about the whole situation between Lauren and Luke, right now I had to take the employment contracts I had collected today to Michael... even though the matter was hidden and always bothering to be attended to behind my back. 

“...You know you can't do that. You can't tell him, it's not your place.”

It was Calum coming out of a door followed by Michael with whom he had a heated conversation. The Duke gave Calum a knock when he saw me in front of them.

“Princess, what a surprise!” he exclaimed. 

The man shivered, throwing a transparent bag on the floor. I reflexively squatted to return the bag to his hands. I looked at its contents for a few seconds; a gold ring was inside it, this one had a hole right in the middle with diamonds embedded around it; it was missing a stone. 

The bag was taken from my hands before I could say anything about it. Calum looked at Michael angrily and even a little terror crept into his brown eyes. 

“We'll discuss this later, Clifford. In the meantime, don't do anything stupid," Calum looked at me sideways, not a trace of joy or his characteristic sympathy. “Your Highness, Duke, excuse me.”

He apologized and went on his way in a hurry. Michael stood still, looked at me once when Calum was out of sight, and snorted cynically. 

“Come on, start your interrogation," he said as if he had known me all my life. He pointed to the door through which he had left moments earlier and we entered a strangely empty office. Nothing but the basics in it. Then he closed the door behind him. “I'll spare you the first question, we are in King Robert's old office.”

“Why? I was looking for you... “

He took the papers. We stood in the middle of the room, I thought it was disrespectful just to be here, but judging from the look of the chairs he hadn't sat here either. We shouldn't be here. 

“Calum called me, what you saw in that bag is evidence the investigators collected from the great hall. It was analyzed all this time and they can't find the DNA of the bearer..." He came over to the desk, stretched out two photographs of a rope cut in a part of the palace I didn't recognize. “It was right under this rope, I'll let that clever head of yours guess what it cut off.”

I blinked a couple of times, puzzled. 

“The chandelier.”

The same chandelier that ended the lives of Queen Susan, King Robert, and Prince Jake. What all this time seemed like an accident had been orchestrated. 

A chill ran through my body. The person who had wiped out most of the royal family was still outside, could be anywhere... could be anyone. 

“That's right, it wasn't an accident. And not only that," Michael walked slowly through the office, "I'm sure and I could swear by the Forest that I've seen the ring somewhere before. Perhaps the person who committed this tremendous atrocity decided to rob the Royal Jewelry store moments earlier. We came here to find a jewelry box that my mother gave to my aunt - to Queen Susan on her last birthday but it's not here.”

“Of course not, this is an office. You must look in her room.”

He snapped her tongue and crossed his arms a few steps away from me. 

“We did, it's empty. Calum had to bribe a couple of guards to get us into the royal room. What did we get? Nothing. We lost three weeks of beer.”

“No, I mean the Queen's other room. The one that's only hers, not the one she shared with the King," I replied, running my hands over my elbows, trying to relieve the tension. “It will probably cost you a year's worth of beer, but you can always tell Luke.”

The Duke burst out laughing as if he had told a pretty bad joke that ended up being good. 

“Discarded at all. He must not know, not now…”

Luke knew nothing about this. I realized late, very late, that I was hearing about the royal family before the King himself.

My impression must have been noticeable on my face, Michael realized, he came over to reassure me. 

“Don't be afraid. The King doesn't know... What's wrong with that, right?” he laughed nervously. 

I sighed, I was seconds away from hyperventilating. “Why doesn't he know?”

If I thought the punishment for slapping Luke was going to be bad, then keeping secrets from the kingdom was going to be much worse. 

“Hey... hey... “ Michael whispered, I felt my heartbeat increasing its volume second after second. “You needed to know, at least this I had to tell you…”

“There's more?!” I exclaimed, covering my mouth. “Michael, I'm sure there are at least thirty reasons why this is wrong... “

The shaking of my arms was muffled at the touch of his hands. They felt rough but helped to calm me down for a second. 

“I can't tell Luke. I prefer to keep my reasons to myself. But you can…” his closeness was comforting to the extent that he spoke. “You will tell the King.”

I opened my mouth to deny it when the slamming of the door hit Michael. The figure who came in knew we were talking about him the moment he did. 

“Your Majesty," Michael said, "What did you think of Lauxwell?”

I couldn't tell if the cold that flooded the office was coming from a window in the hallway or coming from Luke's presence. His jaw tightened, his cold, sharp gaze fixed on the closeness between Michael and me. I gently slid away from the Duke, leaving a considerable distance. 

“What are you two doing here?” he asked, his attention focused on Michael.

“Your Majesty, you haven't answered my question.”

“Bad, horrible. Lauxwell doesn't... need Gardenstone” Luke responded by interrupting Michael. His words were like knives. “Now respond.”

I saw Michael out of the corner of my eye. I forgot my panic at the sight of him in his eyes. I was hoping - we were hoping for a clever and quick excuse to get out of his mouth so that we could avoid all possible topics. If Luke found out what we had done with the Maredans - or that he hadn't been working in the greenhouse, or that his parents had been killed... Nothing good could come of this. 

I held the photographs tightly in my crossed hands behind my back, made mere balls of paper into my fists. I didn't know why Michael didn't want to tell Luke what he´d discovered seemed the least logical thing to do, but I was going to keep it a secret and trust his words. I had nothing else to do anyway. 

“We wanted to be alone for a while.”

Michael responded. The silence lasted for millennia. 

“It is a crime to lie to the crown, cousin.”

Luke still didn't look at me, my presence had never bothered him so much.

“It's true," I said. “We needed to talk alone about the job and the place was lonely.”

I didn't lie, it was true. My hands began to sweat between the photographs. 

A more unsure, choppy sigh came from Luke. He heaved aside, leaving the path clear. 

“Out, then.”

I left the office first, Michael walked behind me. Luke held him at the door with one hand.

“Thank me for not telling Ashton about this... it's not wise for you to get into trouble with two kingdoms, cousin.”

Michael swallowed his saliva at the... Warning?

Luke let him go, following him at every step like a prey. 

“Oh, another thing," we turned to Luke's voice, he was speaking to his cousin but loud enough for his words to reach my ears. “Send a woman... the prettiest one you can find. Lauxwell stressed me out a lot. I'll wait in my quarters.”

I wasn't surprised at all.

¥

Lidia was across the room holding my sleeping clothes when I came in, throwing the crumpled pictures on my bed as I closed the door. 

“Amberly...what happened? The girls in the kitchen say a lot of things.”

I fell in the middle of the bed carelessly crushing the pictures. The stress and tension of moments before were just a few moments away from flooding me. 

“Ask, do it,” I muttered covering my face with both hands. 

I felt a weight next to me. Lidia was sitting on the bed, her facial expression full of doubt.

“They said that His Majesty King Luke found you and the Duke in King Robert's office, may he rest in peace.”

I rested my elbows on the bed, raising my head a little to look Lidia in the eyes. 

“It is true, but we didn't do anything wrong," I said quickly, feeling her relief. “I would never do such a thing to you, Lidia.”

She nodded with a sideways smile. 

“I wouldn't blame you, I'd be crazy not to prefer a princess to a maid," she raised a hand in silence when I wanted to protest. “Wait, there's more. One of the girls is dating one of the guards who accompanied Her Majesty on her trip to Lauxwell. She said nothing happened between him and Her Majesty Lauren. Pure business.”

"Lauxwell doesn't... need Gardenstone," Luke had said. Maybe it was true, it was nothing but business. 

“How nice," I replied, rejoining the bed. “I... it's…” 

Lidia gave me the clothes to sleep with a chuckle. 

“You don't have to answer everything, not now. Take a breath, Amberly, you need a distraction…”

Someone knocked on the door. I forgot the situation I was in for a moment. 

“There it is, just in time." Lidia laughed as she walked to the door. “I promise to entertain your lover as much as I can. Use what I gave you.”

I looked at the garment in my hands, it wasn't my sleeping clothes. A mint silk dress with a "V" neckline was what was in place. I whispered a "Thank you" to Lidia in an act of complicity. 

¥

Ashton's fingers cautiously untangled from my hair as we parted for air. I brought my right hand to the cheek of the black hair who sank into the caress, putting a genuine smile on my face, I barely could see his.

The moonlight above us added certain intimacy. The flowers and trees around the blanket we placed on the lawn covered more than we expected. 

I was straddling him. My dress and his dark green suit without so many wrinkles- worth mentioning. I ran my index finger across the bridge of his nose, Ashton closed his hazel eyes.

“I like your nose..." my finger stopped over his mouth gently. “And those naughty lips of yours…”

He laughed, even with his eyes closed. One of his hands caressed my partially uncovered back, an electric sensation ran through my whole body. 

“It would be a pity if my features were unpleasant for my future queen…”

I returned my hand to my lap, my hunched posture changed to the right, and my smile... My whole face was unemotional because of the impact of his words. 

Ashton noticed the tension that slipped through my body, opened his eyes, and straightened his posture, both hands embracing my waist. 

“Wouldn't you like it, Amberly? To be the queen of Lauxwell?” he whispered in my ear, a warm and sensual tone. “I´m dying to see you on a throne beside me.”

I burst out laughing nervously. The closeness of our faces barely allowed me to hide the surprise.

I´d thought about it, I knew that the talk would come eventually, especially with so many unserious political conversations on previous dates.

Did I want to be the queen of Lauxwell, to leave my place in Maredale and Gardenstone to reign alongside Ashton? 

“I... there are so many things I want to do…”

“To be an ambassador for Maredale here, for example?” he asked amusingly. “Please, we both know the position is too small for you.”

“But it's mine.”

His face - his beautiful face - was stiffened by my words. He blinked twice trying to process what I had said and spoken before giving me a chance. 

“Yes, and so did your title of Princess. You can move up in that case, to be Queen.”

“I'm a princess because my mother has a kingdom, Ash," I interrupted, he didn't like it. “Being an ambassador I got it, I did, and you encouraged me.”

“I did, but I didn't expect you to be in an office your whole life," he said. “Or do you expect Luke to promote you to 'something else'? Is that it?”

The abrupt change in attitude caused me to get up without warning, Ashton imitated me. I looked for warmth in his eyes, a sign that he didn't mean all this. 

“Answer me, Amberly," he spoke loudly, "Do it.”

I took his face in both hands, it was beginning to boil with anger. 

“What's wrong with you?” My concern went unchecked. “Of course I don't want Luke to do that, if it were up to him I'd go down from my post to... pick up dirt from his horses.”

“This is no time for jokes. You don't want to be the queen of Lauxwell but Gardenstone sounds more appealing?”

I put my hands on his chest. I convinced myself and hoped that decreasing our distance would stop whatever we were doing. 

“What does Gardenstone have to do with this? It's not even an option.”

He walked away from me, there was no warmth in him anymore. His eyes were glowing with a challenge. 

“What's an option for you, then? Luke?” he continued, speaking quickly, angry in all his glory. “It seems so. He almost slit his beloved cousin's throat for finding you together in the office.”

The air got stuck in my chest, Luke had said he wouldn't tell Ashton. Unless he had regretted it.

“I heard, Amberly. Everyone in the palace knew about your impromptu meeting.”

I felt pain in my chest, I had never seen him like this before... at least not with me. I had to fix it. Something in all this was wrong, I just didn't know-how. 

“It wasn't what you think, nothing happened…” I stepped forward, he didn't flinch. “I can't explain to you what was happening because even I don't understand it.”

“And that's not suspicious? You expect me to believe that they were talking innocently?” He laughed mockingly. “Over the mountains! No one in a million years would settle for that.”

I let go of the air I was holding back. Something in me... no- my cowardice wanted to explain everything and cry. But inside, deep inside me, there was fear, and there was also something in me that was asking me to make things right for once. 

That "something" fired the fear, or put it to sleep for a second, and left me with that princess who couldn't put a zipper on her mouth. 

“You'll have to. Listen, I don't plan to be an ambassador all my life... crown or not, caring for and protecting my kingdom comes first and I will do it at all costs. You told me to take a chance and I did. These are the consequences.”

He was silent, watching like an emerald owl from the darkness. 

“I have to go, I won't leave Lidia up late," I bowed. “See you, your majesty.”

I turned around, holding back the desire to go back in time and stay in the caresses of a while ago. 

“Amberly," he called, I turned around again. He kept that dominant air. “Answer my question.”

I sighed, I wanted to move but my feet were stuck in my position. 

“Although I am flattered by your proposal, I cannot give you an answer. Not today. Not after... this.”

I waited for him to say something, to forgive me- that he would run quickly behind me and turn us in circles as he kissed my face. 

It didn't happen.


	10. Chapter 10

I hid my head under my pillow as I heard knock after knock on the door. The sound became so tired that I had to wake up.

I picked up the sheets I had thrown on the floor during the night, the only window the room had was stuck, I could not open it to get rid of the awful heat that enveloped the room. I looked around in search of the gown that matched my pink silk nightgown, between the sleep and the incessant knocking, I left it behind and opened the door.

“Princess, forgive me... “Luke's gaze studied my silhouette in front of him, instinctively I covered my cleavage, embracing my arms. Annoyed.

“I rather don´t forgive you, thank you very much. What's wrong... “ I tried to correct my tone “... your majesty?” and I failed.

Luke ran a hand through his shiny blonde hair, I had barely had time to look at it in the sunshine coming through the windows in the hallway.

“I didn't know the disrespect started so early, or I would have asked someone else to come and wake you up, princess," he said mockingly, I grimaced. “We leave the palace in an hour, wear something comfortable, and pack lightly.”

He turned around, I stopped him holding his shirt.

“Where are we going?” I asked, quickly covering myself again, he laughed at my action. “Tell me.”

“It is a Gardenstone tradition to share a little trip to the town of Mudtry when welcoming Maredale, now that Queen Elizabeth is coming back here we must leave," he explained. In a moment of distraction, he took my hands gently, letting them fall to my side. “Even though you look better like this, I recommend a coat. It's cold over there, Princess.”

I covered myself again, he laughed again and walked down the corridor.

“Idiot," I muttered.

“Pain in the ass!” he shouted around the corner.

¥

I don't remember ever having been so solicited as this morning, even the instructions came out with little energy and no firmness, it probably wasn't the lack of being needed that made me feel this way, it was the sour taste in my mouth since Ashton decided not to speak to me.

I relived the scene as I watched the blue decorations glow everywhere; I had looked for him when I returned from a few good hours in the greenhouse, knocked on his door, waited patiently outside believing that he would come out at any moment, he did not. Instead, he turned off the lights. I wanted to apologize for my reaction, I had ruined the beautiful atmosphere we had arranged and I longed for his forgiveness perhaps more than I should have. I also didn't know how we were going to talk without mentioning his proposal. I still didn't tell my mother.

“Princess, do you consider it appropriate to roll out the red carpet for the arrival of Queen Elizabeth?” Calum asked, for the third time this morning.

“No, Calum, like the two previous times I do not consider it appropriate since she is only returning from Maredale.”

I replied wearily that it did not go unnoticed, his brown eyes searching for a sign of sarcasm.

“I'm sorry," he corrected himself as he noticed the presence of servants around us, "-Your Highness, for the insistence. His Majesty, King Luke, wishes everything to be in order for your mother's arrival.”

Luke showed - with his attention to detail and investment in perfecting the palace - his clear interest in my mother's return. After all, my mother was the only leader who could bestow real knowledge of value on Luke... even on Ashton, but she wouldn't just do that. Compared to me, the great Queen Elizabeth always has backup plans, analyzes her moves, and lays her cards on the table with all the elegance and authority that can exist in a single human being.

Therefore, my mother's return was important to Luke. An opportunity to learn that he should exploit. And he knew it, his majesty knew it. So he had relieved me of my greenhouse duties and put servants to work in the greenhouse during my mother's stay at the palace, at last, a decent decision.

“Speaking of which, His Majesty the King asked me to give you this portfolio” Calum's arms managed to swing samples of cloth and other paperwork and extend a somewhat thick grey portfolio to me. “It contains your first official cases to be dealt with as Maredale's ambassador.”

I took it with fear that the emotion would shoot out of my fingertips.

“Thank you.”

Calum knew I was serious. Even if it was a bribe to keep quiet about the work I had been doing in the greenhouse or organizing the picnic, the words "official cases" made me smile broadly.

“There is an office available... in the east wing one floor up from his room in case you´d like to look at documents away from this mess.”

I nodded excitedly. I turned around and started my way to the office.

Every step, every step I took was done without my absolute concentration. My mind was distracted by the real actions I could perform during these days, the happy face of the Maredan people who wanted to settle in the capital at the moment of telling them that it was a possibility and that it was going to happen filled me with happiness. It was time to contact the people who had asked, maybe persuade Luke to finance some of the cases now was something I could do.

“Amberly," Michael's voice cut through my step, "What are you doing here?”

He was just a few feet away from me coming out of his room, I guessed. Dressed in his typical casual attire of a loose black shirt and comfortable pants.

“Calum gave me this," I happily shook my portfolio and said the following in a shriek: "This is real work!”

Michael laughed nervously at my gesture.

“I'm going to the office two floors up, are you coming?” I invited him, he opened his mouth and babbled out. “What's going on?”

“There's an unoccupied one in the west wing..." he spoke quickly without fear of getting stuck. “I have to go but I'll see you there, okay?”

He closed the door behind him after struggling with the handle, each action more clumsy than the last.

“Of course... “

He pointed to the stairs in a gesture to indicate the change of direction. I nodded, watching his sudden change of... stability.

Without arguing, I walked up the stairs for the remaining two floors. I looked down the long hallway leading to the west wing, diving into the east. A couple of steps joined me a short distance from the door that I assumed was the office. I stopped short and turned, bumping into a figure taller and stronger than me. The portfolio crumpled up against me.

“It's okay- Oh.”

Ashton spoke in front of me. I felt my tongue entangled in my mouth, all the things I wanted to say were trapped in my mouth and I couldn't get them out.

His eyes still had a certain glow in them, he wasn't going to be rude now, I hoped he would be willing to talk... watching his posture and the fact that he didn't bother to increase the distance between us, he even seemed ready to do so.

“I..." I said, at last. “I did not expect to find you here.”

“I come from the other wing... I called my sister in the office, they have a good reception there.”

His voice came out flat, I felt a hand squeeze my heart as I remembered that same voice asking to be his queen under the moonlight...

“I want to apologize” I waited, closing my eyes for a moment to put my words in order. “It was not my intention to answer you like that, I was unprepared and I... did not know that the subject needed an immediate answer…”

I placed the hand that held the portfolio at my side and the other hand slowly approached his, I caressed it waiting for an answer. His glance saw something behind me and fixed on my face gently.

“I understand if you're upset with me, I thought that-”

He joined our lips in a fast and firm movement, passing a hand to my waist. The one I previously caressed closed with mine. I breathed in his essence; masculine and with traces of vanilla; before breaking the kiss.

“Everything's fine, Amberly..." he said in a sensual whisper brushing our noses. “We are fine.”

I nodded and we shared a smile, my cheeks felt warm which made me move away from him amicably.

“Wow, a reconciliation of pathetic lovebirds. Your bags for Mudtry won't be packed alone.”

We both turned around, finding Luke leaning against the door he should have entered, forcing a smile. He had a book in his hands and grabbed it tightly, judging by his white knuckles.

More steps joined in, Michael looked at all of us as he continued walking, stopping between Luke and us. Calum came up behind him practically running.

“What happened?” Luke asked, his blue eyes traveling between Michael and Calum to Ashton and me, who clearly had no idea. “Speak up, that's an order.”

Calum stepped forward, barely catching his breath.

“Your Majesty, there was a problem with... the horses, you see.”

While Calum and Michael were talking to Luke about a problem they had pulled out of their sleeves, Ashton approached them to hear the same. He probably knew it was made up, but knowing him, he wouldn't miss the opportunity to see them humiliate themselves.

I looked at the four of them: two kings, a duke, and a royal advisor. I remembered the time Ashton told me that they used to play together, or rather fight, the simple image of those four figures living together innocently made me laugh out loud. Who knows how much trouble they would have gotten into together, the universe wasn't ready for that... maybe that's why they were now separated in some way.

¥

“Lidia, it's very important that you take the portfolio to Duke Clifford," I pouted without moving from the mirror. “Please.”

We laughed at the same time, Lidia shook her head and patted my right shoulder.

When I finished my work in the office, I thought it was not a bad option to ask Lidia to take the portfolio to Michael, something could come out of that contact the maid wanted so much.

“Okay.”

I jumped up with euphoria and wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight and then looking at her with emotion.

“Your outfit!” she exclaimed, making me stop. “I'll take the briefcase, but I'm not promising anything, that's enough for now.”

I took some fabric samples from the chest of drawers and pretended to give them to her in a seductive voice, "Oh, Duke, take the portfolio... and my heart!”

She burst out laughing, snatching the samples from me and leaving them in their place.

Lidia took me by the shoulders and positioned me in front of the mirror again. “I hope her majesty Queen Elizabeth will like my choice.”

“Queen Elizabeth loves your choice. It captures the comfort and the countryside to perfection.”

Hearing my mother's voice standing at the door, I jumped up to her in an embrace. After that, she insisted on having things to talk to me about before the trip and we walked with our arms intertwined through the gardens.

“It is strange to be here without Robert and Susan, may they rest in peace.”

The desire to know more about the life of the kings fell silent on its own as I remembered the incident - the murder. They had been my mother's friends, as far as I knew, but I couldn't reveal to her what Michael and Calum had discovered, even Luke didn't know.

“You look a little lost, daughter," my mother said, nudging me sideways. “Tell me about your work, is it everything you wanted?”

Memories of my work in the greenhouse crossed my mind. The effort took to make some progress in the first few days, including my day in the barn. But that wasn't my job at the end of the day, helping out was. On the sly or just for blackmail, there was 'my grain of sand' as we used to say in Maredale.

“It's been... satisfying," I sighed. “I understand why you like being a queen, you can help people and you have the power to do it in your hands.”

“Oh, little one... the power is there when you have the intention. There is nothing to stop you if you have your aim clear.”

The voice of reason had returned and I was very grateful for it.  
I squeezed her hand lightly and she gestured back to me.

Two young girls passed in front of us carrying their instruments in a cart to transport them to Mudtry and began to play typical Maredale music given by a harp and a violin. Calum who was passing by approached us as he heard the music and rushed to the girls, surely.

“What a marvel! “exclaimed my mother. She let go of my arm and linked hers with Calum's." Young Hood, you must grant me this piece.”

Calum fired an alarmed look before being dragged into the middle of the garden by my mother.

“Poor Calum, he hasn't danced in a good six months.”

Michael stood next to me, watching the queen and the political advisor dance around each other with humor.

“And apparently the Queen didn't either," we laughed. He came a little closer to me, speaking at the level of my left ear.

“ You didn't say anything to her majesty, did you? About what I showed you?”

I shook my head.

“Not at all. But I won't be able to keep silent any longer, you have to tell Luke.”

He laughed softly, neither of them had turned their eyes away from Calum and my mother.

“Oh, no. You will, Amberly.”

No, it wasn't my business. No. A resounding "no".

“Very funny, Duke. -Do I have to laugh now?” I asked with growing anger, he rolled his eyes hesitantly. “I won't do it, I have nothing to do with it.”

“You were there, weren't you?”

“So? YOU found it," I frowned and folded my arms in front of him. “Tell me one good reason why I should do it and I'll go right now.”

Michael crossed his arms as I did, we were terrifyingly close to each other, he opened his mouth a couple of times to talk but nothing came out.

“See?”

I smiled in victory mode with my lips closed. He imitated my gesture.

“It's a direct order from your boss, honey.”

I took a breath to respond when a hand-pulled Michael's shirt abruptly, causing him to stumble backward. Ashton's body came between Michael and my mother's view of the garden, preventing anyone from seeing the scene.

“What are you doing?!” I exclaimed quietly, helping Michael get up from the grass. He shook off the dirt and tried to grab Ashton by the collar of his shirt, so I held his hand. Michael took a step back and I stood between the two of them. “Quiet, both of you!”

Ashton raised an accusing finger near Michael's face, who was still behind me.

“You better keep those compliments to yourself, Clifford. Just because you need them doesn't mean Amberly needs them. Excuse me.”

“Ash... “I muttered walking behind him, he adjusted his grip on my wrist. “Ashton, you're hurting me!”

I exclaimed, releasing my wrist with a strong tug, rubbed it with my other hand, and stopped short. We were closer to the greenhouse than to the celebration, the sun giving the last of its rays announcing nightfall.

“What happened to you? You shouldn't have-”

His arms were wrapped securely around my waist, he approached me with a strong kiss... no, possessive, it felt like he owned me.

We walked away after a few seconds, his face at a distance where his words were barely understandable, nothing more in my field of vision than his glowing eyes overflowing with intensity.

“I don't like it. Both of you spending time together... not since you were found in the office alone.”

I placed both hands on his chest, asking for some space to think.

“I explained that nothing happened-”

“-Unless it's for work, I don't want you anywhere near Michael.”

I was silent for a moment, it didn't seem like a favor, a recommendation... it was an order.

He kissed the corner of my mouth with exasperating slowness.

“Understood, Amberly?”  
I nodded.

The next voice heard was Luke interrupting the music, my mother's dancing, and the closeness between Ashton and me.

“Let the journey begin.”


	11. Chapter 11

I opened my eyes with a start. My hands hit two cushions and someone's wrist. I sat down on what I felt was a bed, immediately regretting the twists and turns in my head. 

“Easy, easy, easy," a girl's voice sounded beside me, full of calm. “Careful, your highness.”

A blonde girl waited for me to regain my stability with a glass of water. 

“I am a friend of your maid, Lidia," she explained, offering me a glass of water, which I took slowly. “We met on a visit she made to the cabaret... but that doesn't matter right now, of course. “You must be very dazed after fainting at the sight of what happened to that woman.”

“Was she really a witch?”

She nodded, searching for the exact words to continue. The noise of music outside and the people didn't help much. 

“We think so, She was… in a figurative sense. They don't work with magic but they have special abilities-gifts, if you want to look at it that way. She specialized in astrology because of her tattoos.”

I remembered the star and accidentally the whole scene that made me shudder. 

“Hey," the girl said calmly again, raising and lowering a hand in a space from my shoulders to my back, "No one else got hurt. They couldn't find the shooter but his majesty already has guards sent from the palace around the camp. We are safe.”

I processed what was happening in a moment of silence. As much as I tried to comprehend everything at once the lady's words echoed and jumped in my mind. 

"The Prince who should never have been King," "The King of the Mist," and "The Bishop Princess," She had referred to us with those meaningless nicknames...or with a meaning that had not yet been found. 

“What are you doing here if you work in a cabaret?” I asked, mostly so as not to frighten her with my silence. 

“The King asked me to come.”

“Oh..." I understood. “What are they doing outside, by the way?”

She walked to a window, moving two pieces of cloth that looked like curtains to one side. “They dance," She replied, "You should do it too, but with great caution.”

We went out the wooden door to the center of the camp where servants and villagers were dancing enthusiastically. The night was a companion to their chanting and celebration. 

“Amberly!”

Michael appeared at my side with an outstretched hand that I took without thinking. 

“Come on, dance!" he said before taking me along with the rest of the people, twirling from one side to the other, filling the atmosphere with laughter and steps to the rhythm of the song played by some old men in a corner with rustic instruments. “Nothing bad for a princess!”

I laughed, effortlessly following the couples that accompanied us. The song remained lively and happy as did the dancers until it came to an end and was replaced with applause. We walked a little away from the others so we could hear each other as another song started in the background. 

“I didn't know the Duke of Greenbush knows how to have fun once in a while," I hesitated, fixing the collar of Michael's shirt that had broken in the middle of the dance. “Have you come here before?”

“No, but I know my culture," he replied with a smile. “My mother has a certain... fascination with parties, I had to learn or else I would learn it only with lessons.”

We laughed, in the distance I saw a figure approaching with determination. A light let me see the green coat rise with each step. 

“You have to go," I told Michael with seriousness in my voice. 

“In fact, I wanted to talk to you about something…”

I shut his mouth with a finger, he shook his head a little. “Later," I asked. “Michael, please.” 

He snorted, finally walking away from me in the opposite direction of the enraged Ashton who was on his way. I mentally prepared myself for the discussion we would have, my head began to ache at the mere thought, I also convinced myself that I would talk to Michael and explain the situation I had gotten myself into later, calmly and without neglecting the growing friendship we were forming.

“Amberly, my dear…” Ashton stood in front of me, angrily, barely restraining himself, "Wasn't I clear the last time we talked about the Duke?”

He stepped forward with the intention of closing the distance between us, I unconsciously recoiled in silent regret, he looked at me dumbfounded. I remembered the aggressive way he had treated Michael at the celebration. I didn't think him capable of laying a hand on me, yet he looked very imposing and somewhat frightening.

“I don't want to...I don't mean to scare you, honey," he spoke with new found gentleness in his tone of voice. “I need to know, what did Clifford say to you?”

“We've barely had time to talk," my voice trembled, I steadied it in an instant. “What would he say to me?”

Carefully, he brought his right hand to my cheek, asking permission with each caress. I released the air I had been holding. Those hazel eyes were hard for me to decipher, there was so much... so much and yet nothing in them. “Nothing, sorry," he shook his head. One of his feet propped up ready to step closer...

“Princess, at last I find you!” Luke burst in beside us. Ashton lowered his hand and let the distance between us rest. “Excuse me, your majesty, I have a matter to discuss with Princess Amberly. If we may…”

Anger returned to Ashton's system -if it had managed to leave in the first place- I sensed it with the withering look he gave Luke before retreating. An arm of Luke's wrapped around one of mine, I tensed at the closeness we hadn't had before, he led us on a walk normally near a river that ran a few yards from the camp.

“Well?” He asked quizzically, "Aren't you going to thank me for saving you from that?”

“Everything was in order, I don't know what you mean," I lied, to both of us. I examined his nervous face.

“Ash has always been like that, you know?” Luke cleared his throat, I was caught off guard by the use of his nickname. “I understand that his company is... good, even addictive, he has a strong personality…”

“Save time for both of us and get straight to the point, would you, I find it disconcerting to hear you being so polite,” I said.

He took his time thinking about how to proceed, that surprised me; while he wasn't the smartest person in the whole kingdom he seemed to be more careful with his words and not let stupid things come out unfiltered. It was a miracle. But he was also uncomfortable, and he wasn't the only one.

“I can't tell you any more, I'm sorry for butting in," he said, sincerely to my surprise. “I was hoping to win the race.”

“Your majesty, Is this a tantrum?” I said, holding in my laughter, "What a sore loser you are.”

“No, that's not it," Luke said annoyed, more internally than at my opportunity to mock him. “I was hoping to win it so I wouldn't have to do what I'm about to do. It's more humiliating for me than it is for you, believe me.”

I watched him curiously, leaving all humor behind, he had something up his sleeve. “What will you do?” I asked without further ado.

He didn't answer, at least not until we stopped face to face, now closer to the camp but far enough away not to be easily recognized.

“Amberly, I have a favor to ask of you. I know I owe you one, but if you agree to grant this one I will owe you two favors," he began to explain, desperation visible in him. “I need an audience with your mother.”

I blinked a little, partly understanding his words and also thinking about the situation. He answered without giving me time to ask:

“There is a Grand Congress, women who are in charge of maintaining order as much as possible among the three kingdoms. You are not there to know nor I to say: they are the power over us rulers, the ones who have the last word in any political movement that falls into their hands…”

“You want to talk to them, but you don't know how," I warned, he nodded, "What do I get out of this? How do I know it's not a trap of some kind?”

He looked down at the floor, biting a corner of his lip in search of a good reason, I ignored the gesture. “Your room!” His euphoria brought out a scare in me. “You were wearing something too cool this morning, you're hot...I can change it. Whatever you want, just say so and I'll-”

“Why?” It all seemed so suspicious to me, none of this was like Luke, not the Luke I knew.

“Will you do it?”

I crossed my arms. “I need to know the reason, don't you think?”

He inhaled air to answer when the sound of loud hooves in packs hit the camp, capturing the attention of everything in it and stopping the music. We ran to the center of it, finding three horsemen dressed in Gardenstone colors descended from their white horses in a formation. One of them approached Luke, whispering something in his ear after giving a bow, the blond nodded.

“Ashton Fletcher Irwin, King of Lauxwell," he called. Ashton walked very confused in front of him, keeping his head held high at all times. “In the name of Gardenstone, you are under arrest for the murder of Mudtry's wife and witch, Louise Grier.”

¥

My feet ached as I walked forward, actually, my whole body felt heavy and weak. I hadn't slept, I couldn't, the thought of Ashton alone and cold spending the night in a cell caused a little pain in my chest. I was denied a visit. The guards were so adamant that they tired my persistence. 

I walked through the wide corridors of the palace with a book in hand as it had been the only thing that had been able to relax me. Ever since I was little, I found the stories in books more interesting than what was going on around me. The perfect escape to a different place and life without having to leave Maredale. Over the years, I assumed it was a coping mechanism.

I pushed open the heavy door into the Throne Room; spacious and bright thanks to the large windows on one wall overlooking one of the gardens, two imposing thrones with red cushions on the wall opposite the door and a circular table in front of them with plenty of seating; where Luke had summoned us to discuss the Ashton matter. 

As terribly punctual as ever, my mother entered after me. I pressed the book to my chest as she surveyed the space. 

“It's been millennia since I've been in here," she said, walking to the table, I followed her. “I still remember Susan's coronation. They didn't bother to put away the decorations or even change them, the next day was the happiest day a woman could live.”

“¿... Did they crown her again?”

“No, little smarty-pants," she laughed, I loved to make her laugh. “It was her wedding day.”

“We have very different concepts, mother," I said, taking a seat at the table, she followed me by taking a seat next to me seconds later. 

She smiled, "I couldn't agree more.” 

The silence in which we remained gave me a chance to think about what Luke had asked me. He wanted to contact the Congress who, from what he had said, were women who were in charge of maintaining order among the kingdoms. As much as I had tried to remember reading about them in some lesson, nothing came to mind. 

Luke, as a young King, did not know how to contact them. Therefore it required my mother to do so. 

“Mother," I said, she turned her attention to me crossing her hands in her lap, "What is the Congress?”

Her eyes widened with surprise and her face was pale, I even thought I had offended her with the question but again no information came to me. “Where did you hear of such a thing?” she asked, somewhere between frightened and angry. 

I couldn't tell her what Luke had told me because of her reaction. I had to make something up. “I think I read it somewhere.”

“Impossible," she used her Queen voice, "Amberly Sarah Campbell, tell me the truth.”

She had rarely used her voice and my full name in the same sentence, this could only mean that there was something she was hiding from me. Not just something, something big and so... twisted that she was going to go to great lengths to keep me from finding out. 

“No.”

She blinked a couple of times, not the answer she was expecting at all. “No?” She repeated. 

“No," I put the book down on the table and folded my arms. “Mother, what is Congress and why are you so... distressed?”

To my good fortune, she merely passed her saliva and looked away. “Now is not the time, Amberly.”

I leaned across the table a bit, seeking her gaze. I would try one more time only, I didn't have the energy to insist for hours on end. “You can keep all the details you want, but please answer," I begged.

She gave me a sidelong glance and let out a sigh, letting himself rest in his chair. 

“It is made up of wise and intelligent women who regulate what happens in the three kingdoms at a reasonable distance. They remain neutral in any situation waiting for the day when finally two kingdoms unite and the other gives in," she began to explain, looking at the windows. “It is very rare to see them in any kingdom walking around. They usually send workers or spies to royal events.”

I remembered the day of the ball, when a man declared Luke Rey in the garden in an act that had been spur-of-the-moment and wondered if that had been an act of the Grand Congress.

“We leaders resort to them to make political moves of any kind official. For example... when there is a wedding, when someone ascends to the throne, when someone inherits it, or in rare cases, when they want to abdicate it. But of course, that hasn't happened in-”

I didn't have to ask to know what had been agreed upon, my father's abandonment. Automatically my hand on the table squeezed her in consolation. 

“Thank you," I thanked her. “It wasn't so hard, was it?”

She smiled, wrinkling her nose. 

Just then the door opened wide again, this time revealing Luke, Calum and Michael. A figure appeared behind them, once inside I recognized her. 

“Lauren," I greeted, standing up. “It's good to see you here again.”

It was, I wasn't lying, we needed some daring and adventurous sense around here. The charcoal-haired girl smiled sideways, wrapping me in a hug. Although it didn't last long, I appreciated the gesture. 

“Same here, princess. To be honest I didn't expect to be back so soon," she said, taking a seat on the other side of me and looking angrily at Luke across from her.

“Since you mention it, your majesty, no one expected to see you here again," Luke said feigning disinterest. 

I had forgotten the time Luke traveled to Lauxwell, I still had a strange feeling remembering it. I was probably afraid that they would cast Maredale aside as they sought a union on their own, an idea I attributed to Luke's selfish but pragmatic mind.

Lauren crossed her legs, adopting a self-assured stance as if she could snatch the lives of everyone in the room in the blink of an eye. 

“Are you sure about that? Last time I checked, there was a desperate King knocking on the door of my castle.”

“Enough, both of you!” My mother said, with a loud fist on the table. “What would become of you if people saw the kind of people who rule you? May the Sea save us!” 

Luke complied with the implied command my mother had given and leaned his back against the chair taking his own hands on the table. Lauren kept looking at him with a smug, flirtatious smile, I sighed at the shock of her presence that had barely hit me. 

“Young Hood, you may give your report at any time," my mother asked. 

Calum cleared his throat by tugging lightly on the tie around his neck. He rearranged some papers Michael handed him, then put them back on the table. “The report given to us by the guards who were making their rounds around the camp said that they found a quiver with Lauxwell's shield behind a bush just from the angle from which the arrow was shot," Calum explained seriously, glancing at the papers occasionally. “A few steps from it they found two arrows identical to the one that killed Louise.”

“And how does this indicate that Ashton was the culprit?” I asked, eyes on me. “Are we even thinking about how... poor that sounds? He was facing her, not hiding in a bush at the time of the attack.”

I caught Lauren nodding approvingly in my direction. On the other side, my mother was examining me hard, as if she wanted to read my mind...or exploit it. 

Calum, very nervous, sighed before answering me. “The point is, your highness, that as Ashton just pointed out, he didn't shoot the arrow.”

I raised and lowered my arms with obviousness wondering the point of continuing with the meeting. Calum continued before I could speak:

“However, the one who did it ran to the guards and revealed the location of the artifacts he used to carry out the attack on Louise. According to the report, he arrived dizzy and after saying the details fell to the ground gasping the name of his majesty King Ashton and the words before he passed away," this time, Calum read directly from the papers. “We have a pretty solid case, in my opinion.”

“And?” Lauren asked vaguely, "How much do you want to release him?”

We were all silent until Calum stopped shaking and, for the first time all morning, reflected the attitude of a politician for the first time since I'd met him.

“With all due respect, your majesty... the actions your brother took do not seem to qualify for bail. The three kingdoms are aware of what happened, perhaps not in detail, but the word is out of Gardenstone. People are calling for justice.”

“... Especially with Lauxwell's reputation," Michael muttered. 

My mother's menacing look reached Lauren before she could begin to argue with Michael. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them she said:

“They won't leave him in that cell for long, will they?” She looked at everyone at the table but me. “They can't, not with... a certain date so close. I can assure you that his presence will be more than required at said event.”

"The unnamed event" that the girls in the kitchen had told me about came to my mind automatically, the day when people from the three kingdoms would come. 

I looked at my mother to ask her the question that got stuck in my throat as I saw her face just as stunned as the others around me. They knew what would happen, everyone but me, even Michael looked down. I didn't like this at all. I was returning to that powerless, wordless state in my future. 

I took a breath of speaking to ask for answers, my mother, direct and firm spoke first. 

“Amberly, you are going to leave here and go to your maid right now. No excuses, no complaints and no questions.”

She didn't so much as glance at me, no one was. Her attention was focused on Lauren with a lion-like smile before attacking. I found it charming and terrifying at the same time. 

“I gave an instruction-no, that's an order, Amberly.”

I decided not to push my luck, took my book and left the infested place with tension. I waited for a few seconds outside the door that I purposely left ajar, resting one hand against the cold wood. Instead of listening to the conversation I was clearly being excluded from, footsteps approached. Startled, I stepped back a little, Michael walked out the door, closing it all the way behind him, and I looked at him in confusion. 

“Not here," he said simply, without any emotion. 

He held my hand a little tightly but at the first complaint he lightened his grip, leading us at a brisk pace to the entrance of the greenhouse. Lidia, who was inspecting some of the plants at the entrance to the greenhouse, was shocked to see Michael. She looked so cute with her freckles in the sun. 

“I can't say anything, not now. But don't be afraid, it will all make sense soon," Michael told me, I had never seen him so serious. He turned to Lidia and inspected her before speaking: "I trust the princess is in good hands, Miss…?¨

“... Lidia," She said awkwardly, Michael smiled.

“Lidia, by orders of the three crowns, you are requested to keep watch over the princess until you are informed otherwise.”

The maid nodded, and so Michael left us alone and confused. 

¥

I explained everything that had happened in the throne room as we carefully moved the plants into pots, from the Congress (which I hadn't heard about either) to the strange attitude everyone took to Lauren's comment and how left out I felt. 

My mother always used to tell me everything, or most of it, especially if some matter had to do with me and what Lauren had said made me wonder. Assuming I had nothing to do with it, why be so secretive about it? Why send me away? it just made me feel guilty.   
I hadn't told my mom about the proof and I hadn't told Luke either. 

It had to do with Ashton, proposal accepted or not, he had become special to me, genuine and unfiltered. 

“You see, Ams," Lidia had said in a wise and calm voice. “When a flower is down, you change its environment, not the flower. I tell you this as a friend, not as your maid…” 

“That's what you are, Lidia," I smiled at her. “You're the only friend I've ever had, and I'd appreciate it if you'd be honest with me at all times.”

“Well then," she smiled back, again focused on the plant in her hands, "ever since you came to Gardenstone you've tried to fit in with the place and be this... embodiment of perfection, which you do very well. You must not have changed at any time. Your acts of kindness are genuine, you have courage in carrying them out and yet you chose not to be you. Face it, you are the princess of Maredale and the princess of Maredale should not give in to anyone without your consent.”

As painful as Lydia's words had seemed to me, I accepted them and analyzed them. She wasn't talking about brutalizing with power, she was talking about finally taking my place as what I was and what I had always been. And despite everything, I didn't know how to do that. 

A limousine arrived at dusk, more like it had returned, Luke got out of it next to my mother. He looked disappointed and subdued, in contrast, she was still with her head held high and a face that said "I told you so". 

I took a few steps inside the castle at dusk, no one had informed us that I could enter, but we decided to risk it or else we wouldn't make it to dinner without even eating. 

“There is news!” I heard a girl in the kitchen exclaim. “They have changed the date of the unnamed event, it will be before the birch celebration.”

I ignored my curiosity, hunger had the upper hand as I crossed the long hallway to the stairs. Before I could advance, a guard wearing a helmet interrupted me with a paper in hand. 

“For you, your highness," he said, handing it to me. 

I did not have time to ask the name of the sender as he left the stairs as quickly as he had arrived. I opened the paper folded in four and proceeded to read its contents.

"Everyone talks behind your back  
they make plans you has no idea about  
promises that will never be kept  
they don't want you to know.   
The three crowns have secrets,   
visit the cellar as soon as this letter reaches your hands.   
You have nothing to lose."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those two comments that kept me going!


	12. Chapter 12

I looked at the words written on the paper still in my trembling hands. The handwriting I had not seen before, but the handwriting and spelling were good, from someone who had been taught all his life. I felt a tingling in my hands and a twinge in my head, I knew something was wrong. 

Seconds later I pulled myself together by getting up from the stairs, I didn't know at what point I had taken a seat. I crumpled up the note and started walking to the cellar, near the kitchen but vacated judging by the time. 

I mentally analyzed the letter over and over again. This person had information and even worse, they knew I needed it. They knew I was thirsty enough for answers to go looking for them and that I would buy whatever they had to tell me as long as I knew something, anything. I entered the cellar, the space was cramped thanks to the boxes and boxes of food, a spotlight was all that illuminated the wooden space I was in. 

One part of the letter, "...the three crowns" sounded familiar... as if I had heard it earlier in the day.... 

Bingo, Michael. 

I knew the information because he had been at the meeting, "...soon it will all make sense" he said just this very morning. The penmanship… he was a duke, he got lessons. Michael was the only answer that fit everything. 

The door creaked behind me, I turned around without fear, I was sure it could only be.... 

“Luke?” I asked, more surprised than I would admit. “What are you doing here?”

“I received a letter," he said, holding the paper in his hands. “Whoever it was threatened to hurt Michael if... I didn't tell you things. Business.”

Michael wasn't behind this, he wasn't stupid enough to endanger himself... or so I hope. 

“Clearly, they're playing games with us. I'm out of here," I waved my hand and he moved away from the door, I pushed the wood that remained intact. Locked. 

I covered one of my trembling hands with the other, watching them as if the key was going to come out of them. 

I took a second to process what was happening. Luke was coming to tell me the answers I needed, probably, and if he didn't his cousin would be in a dangerous situation. The identity of the person who had devised this scared me, that they had access to give us letters and information was dangerous on its own. They devised this so that I had no choice but to listen. 

“I am ready," I turned around. “Speak, your majesty.”

From my position with my back pressed against the wooden door I saw how nervously Luke was sitting on a box a few steps away from me-three, to be exact. 

“Days before the... accident, Queen Elizabeth and my parents made a deal that is verified by the Congress, you know it," he clicked his tongue. I noticed how he used the lack of lighting to his advantage and hid his face in the gloom, probably so I wouldn't see him vulnerable, saving him and me discomfort. “You were to marry my brother, so that part of the destiny of the three kingdoms would be fulfilled and Lauxwell would eventually yield.”

>> “When the accident happened, the agreement was in limbo for everyone... but not for the Congress. They have waited a long time for the destiny to be fulfilled and having come so close to achieving it they became frustrated and placed a new agreement in your mother's hands. This one stipulates that as heir of Maredale you would choose the kingdom with which the alliance would be made on the spur of the moment with only the impressions their leaders gave you. No one would tell you anything, even Ashton and I didn't find out until after they had been in Gardestone for a few days. I had already messed up with you, we both know that and I don't regret it, but Ashton came in with a different attitude than I remembered.”

My head hurt so much, I clenched my hands tightly. 

“So..." I swallowed, "The duel...?”

“It was genuine, I didn't want him to be here, I thought I knew him. When we heard about the agreement, I wished I had made an effort," he admitted. I didn't know what to say, I must have looked ridiculous in his eyes. “If you're wondering how real Ashton's feelings for you are... I can tell you, as someone who's known him for a long time, it's as real as it's ever been. I doubted him too...he was always so...dark and mysterious. Stealthy as fog, but lying about his feelings is low even for him.”

I repeatedly nodded slowly, my eyes fixed on the ground without finding the words. 

In a matter of seconds, what I knew-a large part of it-was part of a simple bargain. A negotiation in which, blindfolded and hands tied, I had to make the last move that was the most important. 

In the midst of my thoughts that came as loud and indistinguishable as the rain I heard an iron slip between the wooden door. Luke sprang to his feet, stepping past me to push the door open with ease. 

I passed unnoticed the narrow space we were in, squeezed into the entrance to the cellar. I still had questions, lots and lots of questions: why did my mother agree to the deal? Was Ashton acting with honesty or interest...? Why didn't Luke try to fix his nasty attitude?

In an attempt to get answers I set foot outside the hold being immediately brought back to my previous place by Luke's hand. He let go of me when he noticed how close we were with intent to get space for myself. 

“Wait, I have something else to say," he said, the blue in his eyes distracting me from further thought for just an intrusive second. “I went to see them today, the Grand Congress, your mother took me thanks to your curiosity... I went to ask them to authorize my abdication to the throne.”

I frowned in confusion and surprised that the conversation became even more illogical, it was too much. 

“I am not made to be king, I never was and never will be. Even the witch said so," he was silent for a moment, probably reliving that moment just as I was, "it should have been my brother. I don't know anything about governing, I never had any classes or... anything more than occasional lessons from my father. I proposed to Congress to abdicate the throne because... as much as I hate to admit it: if there's anyone who can rule better than Ashton and me together, it's you.”

I opened my eyes wide at his sudden confidence. The situation was becoming more unreal with each passing second. 

“If they approved, I could cede Gardenstone to you without putting people at war over something I don't care about.”

“They didn't, they didn't approve it... “ spoke with the situation slowly taking shape in my mind. 

“No, they said I could do it after you made your decision," he said with disappointment. “I know this is all a lot to process in a short time, but you will have to make your choice for Maredale known in two days. I know you will choose Ashton, so all I have left to ask for is time. Once you have declared the alliance, give me a week to abdicate and give up Gardenstone.”

I had nothing to think about, not even negotiate. However, I could not help but be surprised at his attitude and what he was asking for, for the first time concerned about the others. 

“All right," I said. “I don't know what to say... from everything you told me it makes the most sense.”

“I had to, literally," he said, scratching his neck. “We have to go, I have to find Michael.”

Before I could thank him, the blond left the cellar, leaving me alone with my thoughts. 

¥

My heeled shoes echoed in the wide and strangely empty space that the cells encompassed. Having spent some time in the darkness of the cellar analyzing my next move, I decided that no guard was going to stand in the way of what I was about to do. 

I advanced down the corridor in the midst of the cells, mostly empty or with sleeping prisoners, cement walls between each one. I reached the only one where the prisoner was awake. 

“Amberly..." he murmured, approaching the bars between us, "How did you get in, my dear?”

I raised my hands to his face, no dirt or percussion, perfectly clean and neat. The words could not find an outlet, stuck in my throat. 

I stepped away from the bars and placed the key I had gotten on the way in, unlocking the grille and entering the cell. Once inside, I wrapped both hands around his neck with our bodies impossibly close. His hands wrapped around my waist as my face found refuge in his neck, tears began to fall soaking the black shirt he was wearing. 

I had come to the conclusion that I believed in him as he had believed in me that day in the coffee shop and made it the only thing that mattered. I knew that in the end, the situation Luke had put on the table, was the best one. 

Without warning, I placed my hands on either side of his face pressing our lips together in a deep kiss. Ashton's grip on my waist became firm, his other hand caressing my cheek lovingly. As we parted for air, I brought my mouth close to his ear and still with my breath hitching and my head confused, I whispered:

“I accept. I accept the proposal.”

Seeing his smile, it confirmed what I already knew: Lie or not, Ashton and I would make this work. Otherwise...may the Sea save me. 

¥

The next morning, the guard I had bribed to allow me to spend the night in the cell arrived first thing announcing the end of my time with Ashton. After accepting, he filled my face with little kisses and we cuddled on the small gray bed in the cell, next to him I forgot any discomfort I had. We didn't talk anymore, I got out of there as quickly as possible by sneaking into the kitchen and had some juice with an apple before going up to my room. 

I couldn't help but inspect every step in fear of finding my mother. I wasn't ready to talk to her, not after everything I knew. Maybe it was just me, but leading your own daughter to make a decision practically blindly sounded... incoherent, far-fetched. And as if it needed anything worse, I didn't know what decision she expected from me. I had seen how comfortable she was with Ashton but something told me she didn't approve. However, she didn't approve of Luke either. I saw him as a clumsy inexperienced little boy (which he was), but I guess like everyone else I expected this prince who should never have been king to surprise us. 

I reached my bedroom door, safe and sound. I grabbed the knob as someone was already turning it on the other side. I crinkled my eyes at the rays of sunlight streaming from the window behind Luke's firm body in front of me. 

“Normally I wouldn't say this after seeing your face but -Good morning, princess," he said, after yawning wearily. 

“Good... morning," I replied quizzically and folded my arms, "What were you doing in my room? Should I prevent some kind of bear trap?”

“YOUR room?”

He asked looking into the room moodily as if he was hesitating. I raised an eyebrow and he smiled sideways. He closed the door to the room behind him pushing his body against mine suddenly. 

The wide space of the hallway was forgotten when I noticed our closeness, we stood still with our eyes fixed on each other until I sighed and pulled away just when I should have. 

He cleared his throat and spoke again:

“This one," he said, tapping a finger on the door, "This is no longer your room, princess. Follow me.”

“To the catacombs?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I'd like to, but your mother would take my head off before I had a chance," she hesitated.

With a frown, I listened to Luke and followed him upstairs to the east wing. In the same hallway as his quarters but far enough away from them, thanks to the Sea. 

He opened a door through which we entered moments later. A room more spacious than the previous one and noticeably cooler and more refined unveiled itself before my eyes. Pink silk fabric rested on the comfortable bed in the center which was filled with pillows, just by looking at them I could feel how soft they were. Two white marble bureaus with traces of pink on either side of the bed matched the headboard, as did the dresser in one corner and a desk on the other side... and the bathroom cabinet inside the dresser that I could see from the doorway. 

A breeze of air called to me from the balcony, I ran up to it and sighed in awe at the wonderful view of the town at the foot of the palace I had. Luke came out behind me seconds later. 

"Had I known you preferred to sleep in a dungeon I wouldn't have gone to the trouble of preparing your new room," he snorted leaning against one of the glass doors open to the balcony.

I turned around with my lower back leaning against the white bars that delimited the space. 

“Who told you...?” I began the question, dismissing any trace of annoyance that had been on my face.

“Aha! I had my suspicions when I didn't find you in your old room at night and you just confirmed it. I should have bet with Michael.”

I rolled my eyes. 

“There's nothing wrong, the guards were always a pushover," he admitted, almost to my surprise. “Anyway, I guess you went to tell him your... decision, so... congratulations are in order.”

That he brought up the subject so quickly caught me off guard. I didn't want to touch it or think about it, at least not until tomorrow. 

“Thank you," I spoke quickly, "Not only for... that, but also for the room. That's very nice of you, but... why did you do it?”

He lifted and dropped his shoulders, putting both hands in his pockets. 

“I couldn't sleep, I was afraid something happened to Michael earlier... it left me with a pain in my chest and I decided to do something useful with the insomnia," he said, walking to my side leaning his arms on the bars. “Besides, I owed you. I treated you so... badly all this time, I was cruel and I'm aware of it. Although it's entertaining, we won't have to put up with each other once you make your decision public and I intend to save myself a visit to the dungeon.”

That did surprise me. My heart shrank in my chest as I remembered what I hadn't told him about the things Michael and Calum found in the great hall, the evidence we had. 

“I suppose it's my way of thanking you for putting up with me so far as we're in the home stretch," he smiled. “You've always been a formidable adversary. And even though you won't be spending any more time here once you elect Ashton, I promise to take care of this room until I can abdicate.”

Hugging him as a thank you for his words would be the proper thing to do but I came to the quick conclusion that doing so would be too weird. One step at a time.   
It seemed to me that he had noticed too so instead he stood up straight beside me and extended a hand. I shook it and forced myself to smile.

“Your Majesty.” Calum stepped out onto the balcony agitated, stopped dead in his tracks when he saw our hands still not letting go but they did the next second. Michael (not so agitated) followed him next. 

“Queen Elizabeth requests your presence. There are details to arrange for tomorrow, your majesty," said Calum. 

He didn't seem so concerned compared to other events. As Luke retreated from the balcony, I joined Michael and Calum in the room wondering what would be so urgent to arrange for my mother. 

“Nice room, Amberly. I find it quite..." Michael settled into an armchair I hadn't noticed in the corner, a reading nook “... comfortable.”

“Very cool, no doubt," Calum nodded, looking around.

I studied their attitudes, they were both looking around for any excuse not to talk about the matter at hand. They wanted to ask about my decision, after all, Luke would have told them about our talk last night. 

“Mike! Take a look at this!” Calum exclaimed with enthusiasm... not at all feigned, in fact. The blond ran to his side. “It's a picture of the coast!”

I smiled cynically at the duke and the diplomatic advisor with their nervous made-up faces. 

“Oh, come on!” I laughed, they both turned to look at me. “Spit it out, ask.” 

They looked at each other as accomplices, knowing they could not postpone the talk any longer. 

“What did you decide? “they asked at the same time, earning another laugh from me. 

I sat on the edge of the bed, patted my sides and soon they both sat one on either side of me. “I said yes to Ashton," I said, silenced by their complaints. “Hey, I have my reasons…”

Calum shook his head. “Amberly, with all due respect, you should think again…”

“No, Cal! You can't ask her to do that!” Michael exclaimed. “Despite our tireless efforts to get you and Luke together, we agreed.”

I held up a hand, asking him to stop. 

“You did what?” I asked, somewhere between surprised and annoyed. They were silent. “Don't shut your mouths now, answer me. Why would you subject me to such torture?”

Calum's brown eyes cursed Michael silently before he answered. 

“Michael and I knew Luke wasn't going to do anything about having your vote for you..." he looked at the floor in embarrassment as he explained, "So we created different situations where you would probably exchange more than insults... like the time in the office.”

I suddenly understood the insistence they had a few days ago when Michael diverted my step and I ended up talking to Ashton outside the office I had been asked to enter... which Luke came out of afterwards. 

“It would have been fine if SOMEONE hadn't given you the wrong instructions," Michael emphasized and then added, "Yesterday wasn't our idea, although locking you together didn't sound bad at all.”

Calum ignored him as he rolled his eyes. 

“Guys... I understand your intentions, but Luke and I just aren't right for each other. Even centuries in your company wouldn't change my mind," I explained to both of them, clearly disappointed. “But I appreciate your effort. Also the fact that you made the torture more pleasant with your presence.”

Tears threatened to come as I watched them beside me, I thought of all the times they wanted to tell me and couldn't, they went against their good intentions. 

“There's still something left," Michael said, excited. “The evidence, you must tell Luke.”

I looked at him seriously, not understanding how that would help his case. 

“Mike is right, even if there's no hope left and you're going to choose King Ashton... you must tell him," Calum supported him. “We can't, anyway. We have a lot of things to do with the event tomorrow. “

It was true, even if they didn't do it with other intentions, I had to tell Luke, I owed it to him and to myself.   
I nodded and got out of bed. 

“You're right, I'll go get him right now," I said and then hugged each of them quickly. “Thank you for everything.”

“My pleasure, your highness," Michael said for both of them. 

I felt bad for Luke for a moment, as I made my decision and left for Lauxwell I would be sure to take the pair of friends with me. I would find them some position, anything really as long as I had them by my side, taking care of me and me taking care of them. 

I left the room with the satisfaction of knowing that, although I had been living inside a competition I had had no idea about, their friendship was genuine and true. I knew that if I had to blindly trust anyone with my life, I would choose Michael and Calum again and again. 

¥

Lydia met me in the middle of my walk and I told her what had happened the night before, all while taking a bath and changing my attire to a pair of formal black pants and a jacket with a white corset underneath. I was grateful that she listened to me although this time she had almost nothing to say, she had only grimaced when I told her about what I had decided. Once clean and changed I slipped into King Robert's old office and took a yellow folder with the photos of the evidence in it from behind a bookcase, just where Michael had left it. 

Subsequently, I arrived unannounced at Luke's office and after knocking three times on the door, I walked in bumping into Lauren and my mother sitting across from him as serious and dreadful as ever. All three pairs of eyes looked at me standing in the doorway. 

“Is there anything else you need to discuss, your majesties?” Luke asked, looking at the women in front of him wearily. 

The conversation must have been very heavy, Luke seemed relieved to see that my impatience would release him from continuing it. My mother shook her head as Lauren looked annoyed; with her perfect black nailed hands on the desk demanding answers and her long black hair falling over her shoulders; she looked at me trying to change that angry gesture to something more friendly, removing her hands from the desk and placing them on her lap. 

“No, your majesty, we are finished.” My mother responded, waving her hand to signal Lauren to leave. Lauren walked out the door beside me, my mother leaning close to my ear. “I'll see you when you finish whatever it is you're here to do, okay?”

“I'm...terribly busy, maybe later," I replied without giving her a chance to say anything else. She nodded and went on his way. 

I closed the door behind me and walked over to one of the chairs across from Luke. 

“Thank you, you arrived just before I made the grave mistake of expelling them from the kingdom," he said half jokingly, plopping down in the chair. “What do you need, princess?”

At this point, his change of formalities didn't faze me, he always let out the "princess" with a subtle and slightly flirtatious tone, nothing new in him. 

I ran my fingers over the yellow folder, carefully pulled out the photos in it. I glanced at them before placing them on the desk; the rope in the unrecognizable part of the palace. I inhaled air before placing them in front of his eyes, they looked at them with confusion. 

“This," I said, pointing to the rope, "is the rope that cut the chandelier...that night. Underneath it was a diamond-encrusted gold ring with a space for a stone. It's part of the evidence that was collected from the great hall, that means that your parents and your brother, may they rest in peace, were not victims of an accident but of -”

“-A murder.”

I looked at him with fear, I didn't know exactly why, but I was afraid to look into those blue eyes. 

We stood in silence for what seemed like ages until he took on a more serious, strong, shadowy stance. I felt myself shrinking in front of him. 

“Why do you know this, Amberly?” he asked tactlessly. “Why did you decide to tell me now? Did you think... you wouldn't look guilty?”

I gawked at him, not understanding the thought process going on in his head. That I had evidence was because of the investigators, not because I had decided to investigate on my own by betraying the crown and show him now after hiding it for days....   
Oh. 

“Excuse me?” I asked reflexively. “That's not what-”

“It's what it looks like to me, your highness," he said, humorlessly. A hand held his head as it drooped with regret. “For the Forest... I was such a fool. Had I known it was only a matter of time before you took revenge, hadn't I... I should have insisted on Lauren.”

“Lauren?”

I blinked at his assumption and because now the Lauren thing made sense. He had wanted to close the part of the deal with her, that's why he had gone away for a few days alone with himself and if he succeeded it would be Maredale who would be left at his feet.

“You lied! Did you think about abdicating before or after you went to Lauxwell?!” I became upset in my seat. My question went unanswered and I exclaimed, "You are a liar!” 

“And are you any different?!” He raised his voice, rising from his seat and both palms on the desk. “You hid this evidence from me! Your King!” 

I stood up abruptly picking up the photographs and walked to the door. 

“You're not my King, Luke! And you won't be in a million centuries!” I shouted before slamming the door behind me. 

It didn't take hearing his loud footsteps for something in my agitated, dizzy brain to whisper, "Run." 

And I did without looking back.


End file.
